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Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Has Strongly Dismissed The Claims That He is Stepping Down As Zulu Prime Minister.

By: Phakeme Mnguni 

The Zulu Prime Minister, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, has rubbished claims that he is stepping down from his role.

This comes after widespread media reports suggested that Buthelezi had called an urgent Imbizo to announce his resignation. Buthelezi has refuted these claims as false and misleading. 

IFP spokesperson Liezl Van De Marwe confirmed that there will indeed be a meeting of Amakhosi (Imbizo), called by Buthelezi, to be held on Friday, May 26, 2023, in the north of KwaZulu-Natal. 

In a statement released by Van der Merwe, she mentioned that Buthelezi has taken note of false and malicious rumors circulating on various platforms, suggesting that he has vacated his position as the traditional Prime Minister to the Zulu Monarch and nation. 

"I have just spoken to Prince Buthelezi, and I wish to reassure the public and the Zulu nation at large that their traditional Prime Minister continues to serve at the behest of his Majesty King MisuZulu kaZwelithini, for as long as iSilo requires his services, support, and guidance," said Van der Merwe. 

Buthelezi has served the Zulu Nation as a Traditional Prime Minister since 1954.

Van der Merwe added that nothing has changed in this regard; he remains fully committed to his responsibilities as Traditional Prime Minister. Any announcement to the contrary would have been handled by herself through a formal communique from the Traditional Prime Minister’s office and after due consultation. It is evident that the current media reports are false. They reject any attempts to drive disunity among the AmaZulu Nation by the circulation of such blatant lies. 

Van der Merwe further stated that as per Buthelezi's previous statements on the matter, the Prime Minister, as the author of the Ingonyama Trust, will brief Amakhosi on recent developments affecting the Trust and the Board.