King Misuzulu ditches meeting with Parly’s Land Reform and Rural Development committee

DURBAN - AmaZulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini has ditched a meeting with Parliament’s portfolio committee on land reform and rural development.

On Monday, the committee visited the Zulu monarch in Nongoma as part of its five-day oversight visit, a fact-finding mission looking at governance at the Ingonyama Trust board.

The board, which administers land under the sole control of the Zulu king, has seen controversy since the changes by the king in 2024.

Last week, King Misuzulu addressed the imbizo at the eMashobeni Royal Palace, where he raised various concerns about the Ingonyama Trust board.

The monarch believes there are attempts to destroy the board.

On Monday, Parliament’s portfolio committee on land reform and rural development visited the monarch.

While the king was in the venue of the meeting, he never physically attended the meeting.

His advisor, Sibongiseni Mbambo, later told the committee members that the monarch would not even join them for a photo opportunity, saying the king was asleep.

"Thank you so much for understanding. You can take as much photos as you can."

Some attendees expressed dissatisfaction with this.

The committee will on Tuesday morning meet up with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA)’s MEC, Thulasizwe Buthelezi, chiefs, and headmen.