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Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu

Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu (b. 14 July 1948 at Nongoma) is the reigning king of the Zulu nation under the Traditional Leadership clause of South Africa's republican constitution.

He became king on the death of his father, His late Majesty King Cyprian Bhekuzulu kaSolomon in 1968. HRH Prince Israel Mcwayizeni KaSolomon acted as the regent 1968-1971 while the King took refuge in St. Helena for three years to avoid assassination. After his 21st birthday and his marriage, Zwelithini was installed as the eighth monarch of the Zulus at a traditional ceremony at Nongoma on 3 December 1971, attended by 20,000 people.

Political role

In the power vacuum created in the 1970s as Apartheid and the domination of the country by white South Africans began to collapse, the King was sometimes unable to avoid being drawn into partisan politics. The Zulu-dominated Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) initially opposed parts of the new constitution advocated by the African National Congress (ANC) regarding the internal governance of KwaZulu. In particular, the IFP campaigned aggressively for an autonomous and sovereign Zulu king, as constitutional head of state. As a result, the IFP abstained from registering its party for the 1994 election (a necessity in order to receive votes) in opposition. However, once it became obvious that its efforts were not going to stop the election (the IFP's desired goal), the party was registered. It demonstrated its political strength by taking the majority of the provincial votes for KwaZulu-Natal.

Although the constitution makes the role of the king largely ceremonial, and it is incumbent upon him to act on the official advice of the provincial premier, on occasion South African President Nelson Mandela made efforts to bypass the IFP in negotiating with the Zulus, instead making direct overtures to the King (Mandela's daughter, Zeni, is married to Prince Thumbumuzi Dlamini, a brother of Zwelithini's "Great Wife", Queen Mantfombi). Nonetheless, the IFP remained in power in the province until 2003.

During most of the King's reign his cousin ("uncle" in Zulu kinship reckoning), Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Prince of KwaPhindangene and founder/head of IFP, was the Zulu prime minister. But in September 1994 tension between the previously allied kinsmen peaked publicly as the annual Shaka Zulu celebration approached. Rumors that the King was maneuvering to replace Buthelezi as Zulu prime minister with former regent Prince Mcwayizeni, who had joined the ANC in 1990, seemed likely after the King announced that Buthelezi would no longer be his chief advisor, and simultaneously cancelled the holiday ceremony. For his safety, federal troops escorted Zwelithini by helicopter to Johannesburg. Although Buthelezi was then serving as Home Affairs minister in South Africa's Cabinet, President Mandela's efforts to broker a reconciliation failed. Buthelezi moved the event from Nongoma to Stanger, and addressed a throng of 10,000 of his Zulu supporters.

Subsequently, the King's spokesman, Prince Sifiso Zulu, was being interviewed on television at the South African Broadcasting Corporation's studio when Buthelezi and his bodyguards forcibly interrupted the program, physically intimidating Chief Sifiso. The televised incident drew national attention and a public rebuke from Mandela, prompting Buthelezi to apologize to the royal family, Cabinet and nation for his behavior. Relations between Zwelithini and Buthelezi later improved.

Zwelithini has cooperated as the law requires with the ANC since it took over the reins of government in KwaZulu-Natal. The King’s finances are controlled by KwaZulu-Natal provincial authorities.

In 1989 he criticized the ANC leadership for not inviting himself and Buthelezi to a rally welcoming back the Rivonia Trial defendants, who had been released after almost three decades of imprisonment.

As the constitutional monarch of the kingdom of KwaZulu-Natal, he is head of the Ubukhosi, the state-recognized institution of Traditional Leadership that consists of local chiefs. His leadership role also entails chairmanship of the Usuthu Tribal Authority and Nongoma Regional Authority, both established under the provisions of the KwaZulu Amakhosi and Iziphakanyiswa Act. In his address upon the opening of the Provincial Parliament on September 28 2003, the King advised the government and legislators to give more heed to the Ubukhosi:

Traditional Leaders are neither consulted nor involved in the process of formulating policies that have a direct bearing on their day to day activities. The institution of Ubukhosi has been in existence from time immemorial and has survived many hardships under past colonial regimes. From the point of view of the ordinary citizen, an Inkosi's most important role may lie in his symbolizing of community solidarity. So any notion that the institution of Ubukhosi, now that we have a democratic government in place, can just be wished away, remains a pipe-dream. Some countries just across our borders had decided to do away with the institution of traditional leadership immediately after attaining independence from colonial rulers. However, they have since realised that they had committed gross mistakes and were now re-inventing these institutions at great costs. As King of the Zulu Nation I am proud of the role played by the Prime Minister of the Zulu Nation, Prince of KwaPhindangene, Dr MG Buthelezi who had singlehandedly championed the cause of the Institution of Traditional Leadership in this country.

Zwelithini has been criticized for overspending on luxury Mercedes Benzes and other expensive vehicles for his wives when a large percentage of the population in Kwa-Zulu Natal is living in poverty. It emerged in 2006 that the royal household has spent 900,000 Rand ($123,500) on luxury vehicles alone⁽³⁾. To put that in perspective the per capita income in South Africa is about $4,960⁽⁴⁾

Cultural role

As the custodian of Zulu traditions and customs, Zwelithini has revived cultural functions such as the Umhlanga, the colourful and symbolic reed dance ceremony which, amongst other things, promotes moral awareness and AIDS education among Zulu women, and the Ukweshwama, the first fruits ceremony, which is a traditional function involving certain traditional rituals. He has also traveled abroad extensively to promote tourism and trade in the West for KwaZulu-Natal, and to fundraise for Zulu-supported charities, often accompanied by one of his queens consort. On such occasions he is frequently officially hosted by local Zulu organizations, and grants audiences to Zulus living abroad.

In June, 1994, the University of Zululand conferred an honorary doctorate in agriculture upon the king. He is Chancellor of the South African branch of the American-based Newport University. In March 1999 Coker College of South Carolina awarded him an honorary doctorate in law. During the first half of 2001 he was inaugurated as Chancellor of the M L Sultan Technikon in KwaZulu-Natal.

The King's authorized biography, King of Goodwill, was published in 2003. The musical dramatization of this work premiered at the Market Theatre, Johannesburg on 16 March, 2005.

The king paid an honorary thanksgiving visit to Prophet T.B. Joshua of The Synagogue Church Of All Nations in Lagos, Nigeria in 2004 following the healing of his daughter Sibusile from epilepsy .

Wives

maDlamini (born Sibongile Winifred Dlamini), married 27 December 1969 at St Margaret's Church, Nongoma.
Buthle MaMathe, born c1951. In May 1996, she and her daughter were seriously wounded in an assault during which they were clubbed, stabbed and shot.
Mantfombi Dlamini, born 1956, daughter of Sobhuza II of Swaziland and sister of Mswati III, married 1973. A condition for this marriage was that she become first wife, which determines the king's successor.
Thandi (born Thandikela Jane Ndlovu).
Nompumelelo Mchiza, married 25 July 1992.
Zola Zelusiwe Mafu, married 2004

Children

27 children (as of 2003), including:

HRH Prince Lethukuthula Zulu (by Queen MaDlamini), born 1970.
HRH Princess Sibusile Zulu (by Queen Buhle MaMathe), born 1972.
HRH Prince Dennis Njeru Mucheke aka Charles,born 1984, is currently pursuing aviation studies in Florida.
HRH Prince Misuzulu Zulu (by Queen Mantfombi), born 23rd September 1974 in Kwahlabisa, KwaZulu-Natal, is currently pursuing a degree in International Studies in Jacksonville, Florida, and is a strong candidate for Zwelethini's successor. He is unmarried and has one son.
HRH Princess Ntandoyesizwe Zulu (by Queen Mantfombi), born 1976, married 13th April 2002 at Enyokeni Royal Palace, Nongoma, to Kgosi Oupa Moilwa, Chief of the Bahurutse Bagamoilwa. Civil ceremony July 11, 2004 in Pongola.
HRH Princess Nandi Zulu (by Queen Buhle MaMathe), born 1977, married (civil) 6 December 2002 in St John's Anglican Cathedral in Mthatha and (traditional) 7 December at the Thembu Great Place near Qunu, to Chief Mfundo Bovulengwa Mtirara, born 25 March 1973, Acting Deputy Paramount Chief of the Thembu from 2000, Chief of the Matye'ngqina Traditional Authority Area.
HRH Princess Lomkhosi (by Queen Mantfombi), born 1982, fiancee Melusi Moyo
HRH Princess Bukhosibemvelo, (by Queen Mantfombi), born 1985, married Sipho Nyawo, who paid 120 cows as part of ilobolo for the Zulu princess.
HRH Prince Shlobosenkosi Zulu (by Queen Buhle MaMathe) born 1988 is currently an 11th Grade student at Kearsney College in Botha's Hill, Durban.