The provincial government in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, has announced intentions to construct a new palace for the Zulu monarch, King Misuzulu kaZwelithini.
During her State of the Province Address on Wednesday, Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube revealed this plan, citing Zulu customs which suggest that the king’s residence should not be at his late father’s palace.
Ms. Dube-Ncube expressed satisfaction with the positive relationship between her government and the Zulu king, stating, “In consultation with His Majesty, we are finalizing plans to build a new palace for the king in Nongoma.”
She also assured continued government support to the reigning king, similar to the assistance provided to the late monarch.
This announcement occurs amidst ongoing legal challenges to the king’s legitimacy. In December, a court deemed President Cyril Ramaphosa‘s official crowning of the new Zulu king as “unlawful and invalid,” prompting an inquiry into the king’s accession to the throne’s conformity with customary laws.