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Dr Pixley ka Isaka Seme House: As the African National Congress in KwaZulu-Natal we are inundated with enquiries from the media and members of the public.

This follows a reckless statement issued by the Mayor of Zululand District, Cllr Thulasizwe Buthelezi.

What is unprecedented is that an IFP statement is in the letterhead of Zululand District Municipality.

As the ANC we are of the view that finally the attention of the people of this province has been drawn to the distinct features that define Thulasizwe Buthelezi .

Who is Thulasizwe Buthelezi?

Firstly, his statement has unmasked him as a complete wedge driver.

Secondly, he is a kind of an individual who operates in shady corners.

Thirdly, the statement reveals tendencies of someone who is pre-occupied with the exercise of peddling lies and sowing seeds of division.

He has an uncontrollable desire of using the Zulu Royal Family to elevate himself politically above everyone within the IFP.

He thrives on corridor gossip.

He is the source of disunity within the Zulu Royal Family.

For the record, the ANC in this province, out of respect, has avoided relentless requests for comments from the media regarding Zulu Royal Family internal matters.

We are still nursing a hope that all issues involving the Zulu Royal Family that have played out in the public domain will be resolved internally with political parties keeping a distance.

In addition, media houses have persistently requested the ANC to respond to matters involving ISILO Misuzulu and Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi.

As a matter of principle, we have exercised maximum restraint.

We wish to confirm that the ANC tasked former Premier and former MEC for Royal Household Department Dr Zweli Mkhize to play a mediation role. 

We identified Dr Zweli Mkhize because he is an elder who has a cordial relationship with Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, ISILO Misuzulu and the departed King, Mdlokombane.  Prince Buthelezi can attest to this.

Critically, Dr Zweli Mkhize has been performing such a responsibility with utmost respect  - behind closed doors and without side public commentary.

We therefore reject Thulasizwe Buthelezi's statement with the contempt it deserves.

He is clearly using the Monarch and the Zulu Royal Family as his instruments to achieve political currency.

Moving forward, as the ANC, we offer to work with leaders of society and the people of this province across all lines to ensure unity and social cohesion.

We must all work together to positioning the Monarchy as an office of strategic value in the future of the Zulu Kingdom.

The Monarchy, as an institution recognized by the constitution, must be protected at all costs from wedge drivers such as Thulasizwe Buthelezi.

The Monarch gives our province the uniqueness that we must utilize to advance the social and economic lives of our people and the prosperity of our province.

The Monarch severs as a symbol of peace and unity for the people of this province.

Instead of using both the Monarch and the Zulu Royal Family to advance his ambition and that of the IFP,  Thulasizwe Buthelezi must come clean about maladministration involving more than R240 million. 

Over 112 years of its existence, the ANC has never  tried to manipulate or abused the Monarch, the Zulu Royal Family and the institution of traditional leadership for its short term political gain.

This despite the fact that King Dinuzulu gave blessings and authorized the formation of the ANC.

In 1912 he was subsequently declared Life Honorary President of the ANC. This is because of the support he gave towards the formation of the organization.

Whenever there are challenges facing the Zulu Nation and  the Zulu Kingdom, the ANC has always played a reconciliation role with the view of ensuring that we all find peaceful solution that strengthens Indlunkulu.

Finally, we haven’t forgotten that Thulasizwe Buthelezi once defected to the ANC. 

As a reward, he demanded to be deployed as the MEC. He quickly returned to the IFP when we rejected his demands.

He has recently developed an appetite of using the Royal Family for the benefits of the IFP especially as we head towards the elections.

He must be stopped.

Issued by the African National Congress in KwaZulu-Natal