Zwidekalanga Bitter Over Mswati Visit
A direct descendant of Lobengula, Prince Zwidekalanga Khumalo, is bitter over the government‘s decision to take visiting Swazi King Mswati 111 to Cecil John Rhodes’s grave in Matopos instead of taking him to king Mzilikazi’s grave which is located at Umhlahlandlela in the area.
Khumalo said the Ndebeles share a blood relationship with the king and his people who are both from the Nguni descendants. This means the Swazi people and the Ndebeles share similar cultural values.
“When the government through the Matabeleland South governor, Angeline Masuku asked us to culturally receive the king in Bulawayo we thought it was also culturally ideal to receive the king at old Bulawayo, former king
Lobengula’s royal kraal but after consulting National Museums and Monuments staff here we were told that the place was not ideal since it is now in a dilapidated state,” he said.
Khumalo said the organising team also suggested to the government that the king should instead visit king Mzilikazi’s grave but they were told by officers from the protocol department that the Swazi culture did not allow a king to visit a grave.
“We were shocked when the same protocol officers asked us to receive the king at the Joshua Nkomo airport. They told us that the government had made a final decision that that the king was going to visit the remains of Cecil John Rhodes and that of 35 white soldiers who were killed during the final battle with king Lobengula at Pupu.We believe by so doing the government dismally failed to recognise cultural Ndebele monarch. The government denied King Mswati the opportunity to meet his own relatives,” said a bitter Khumalo. - RadioVOP
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