In that country in southern Africa, monarchs and tribal leaders are recognized by the constitution. Kings do not have executive power, but they have great moral standing and are respected by the people.
Misuzulu Zulu, 47, who is also called Misuzulu kaZwelithini and whose name means “strengthen the Zulu people”, succeeds his father Goodwill Zwelithini, who died last year after a 50-year reign. He has two wives and at least four children.
From early in the morning, “amaButho” warriors lined up in impressive processions with spears and shields, poured towards the marble palace of KwaKhangelamankengane in Nongoma, a small town in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, in the southeast, the cradle of the Zulu people.
“This is a big day, today we are making history,” Bongani Khumalo (80), a warrior in charge of the king’s security, told AFP.
While the sun was scorching, they danced warrior dances for hours wearing animal skins in anticipation of the king’s arrival. 11 million Zulus live in the Republic of South Africa, which is 20 percent of the total population and they are the largest ethnic community in the country.
The women were in traditional clothes, in pleated skirts, and some had pearl belts. Others draped themselves in cloth with the king’s image and the inscription “Bayede”, which means “greet the king” in the Zulu language.
The king, to be formally confirmed by President Cyril Ramaphosa at a ceremony in the coming months, is the heir to the throne and the country. He owns almost 30,000 square meters of land, which is roughly the size of Belgium, managed by a trust of which he is the sole manager.
His father, known for his penchant for luxury, also received about 75,000 euros a year from the state for personal needs and had a budget of 4.2 million euros a year for the functioning of the monarchy, according to government data.