Historicity of Zulu Traditional Prime Minister

Historicity of Zulu Traditional Prime Minister
By Mocholoko Dr. Zulumathabo Zulumathabo © 2021

SAFM Radio Podcast at End of Article

The Preamble

Today I was interviewed by the SAFM Radio DJ Patricia Ntuli on the historicity and role of a Zulu Traditional Prime Minister in the light of a raging court battle at Pietermaritzburg High Court where the first wife of the late King Zwelithini, Queen Sibongile Dlamini-Zulu is seeking to have the Traditional Prime Minister Mangosuthu Buthelezi ejected from royal the contestation over the estate of the late King.

The Royal Battle

In the latest court battle in which King Zwelithi’s first wife Sibongile Dlamini-Zulu along with her daughters is seeking half of the estate of the late King for herself. The Queen Mother’s two daughters Princess Ntandoyenkosi Zulu and Princess Ntombizosuthu Zulu-Duma are asking the court to eject the Zulu Traditional Prime Minister Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi from the royal contestation over the estate and the will.

Their arguement is that Prince Buthelezi is a mere nephew of King Zwelithini and the role of Ndunankulu (Traditional Prime Minister) is not even recognised by the current legislation governing the Zulu Royalty.

Their arguement is extremely slender on facts. When the court brings in a Zulu expert witness to provide a historiographical attestation of the historicity and role of a Zulu Traditional Prime Minister, then the court will be on firmer ground to decide this case.

The role of Ndunankulu (Traditional Prime Minister) goes back to the era of King Shaka. It does not begin with Prince Mangosuthu. Moreover, he did not appoint himself. He was royally appointed in that position.

Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi is the son of Rakgadi Princess Magogo kaDinuzulu. The grandfather of King Zwelithini, Nkayishana Maphumzana Solomon kaDinuzulu is the Malome of Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi.

In indigenous societies, Rakgadi and Malome are amongst the most powerful figures in the governance systems as a result of the fact that these societies are constructed from a matrilineal design as opposed to the European societies which are constructed from a patriarchal design.

The descendants of Rakgadi inherit this social power as is the case with Mangosuthu. Moreover, he is a Traditional Prime Minister, a role of vanguard for the Zulu Kingdom.

In this article we trace the historicity of the Traditional Prime Minister as far back as King Shaka who appointed Ngqengelele kaMvulane as the Ndunankulu (Traditional Prime Minister) after the Zulu-Ndwandwe War of 1817-1819.

His son Mnyamane kaNgqengelele became Ndunankulu in 1840 after the defeat of Dingane by Mpande forces commanded by the great Military General Nongalaza kaNondela.

To learn more about this topic, listen to the SAFM Radio podcast in which I trace the historicity of the Zulu Traditional Prime Minister. Thokoza Makhosi!

SAFM Radio Podcast