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King Goodwill Zwelithini

Durban — The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal says it will not be drawn to comment on statements made by King Goodwill Zwelithini on Heritage Day. Speaking at the two-day Provincial General Council at the Coastlands hotel in Durban on Saturday, ANC chairperson Senzo Mchunu said the ANC will not respond to Zwelithini’s utterances.

According to a report in the Daily News, while addressing people on King Shaka Day in KwaDukuza on September 24, Zwelithini allegedly lashed out at the KwaZulu-Natal government for erecting banners that bore photos of politicians. He reportedly had wanted the banners to have his photo and complained about maintenance of his palace.

According to the report the monarch also allegedly had also presented a wish-list, including a royal defence force, power to appoint and dismiss junior traditional leaders, and 17-gun salute, among other things.

Mchunu said: “Both as the ANC in KZN and government want to promote healthy relations between us and the king all the time. That’s what has always informed our position and that’s what has always guided us all the time, and that’s what we believe in all the time.

“As the ANC in KZN, the alliance and government we do everything to ensure that those good relations are developed all the time. If there is any challenge that arises as we do our work we’ll need to respond to those challenges informed by that very position.

“We’ll not be taken to respond to that statement…That’s our position. On individual issues, we’ve no comment,” said Mchunu. — Sapa