South Africa pays tribute to late Zulu king
Audio 01:21
The remains of King Goodwill Zwelithini, who died on March 12, 2021 at the age of 72, were buried on Thursday March 18 in a palace near his hometown, during a private ceremony called a "plantation" in the Zulu culture.
REUTERS - POOL
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4 min
The Zulu people expressed a final farewell to their king on Thursday, March 18, after his 50-year reign.
Gathered near the monarch's palace in Nongoma, in the east of the country, in the Kwazulu-Natal region, hundreds of people, political representatives and traditional leaders attended a final national tribute ceremony, to salute the memory of King Goodwill Zwelithini, "planted" in the earth last night according to Zulu tradition.
A powerless but highly respected king and guardian of Zulu tradition
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With our correspondent in Johannesburg
,
Claire Bargelès
The dances of warriors dressed in their animal skins and armed with their traditional shields accompany the procession.
At their side, young women with pearl skirts encourage them with their songs.
Then under a marquee, President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke in English and Zulu, remaining vague on the death of the king, officially due to diabetes, but linked to the coronavirus according to relatives.
“
It's a difficult day because a big tree has fallen.
After a long struggle, our beloved leader succumbed to this deadly disease which
claimed
the lives of so many
, ”President Ramaphosa said.
A ceremony that could be followed on all TVs, since the national electricity company had even suspended its load shedding so as not to deprive anyone of this last tribute.
The 8th king of the “people of the sky” will have known how to preserve culture and traditions, and use the weight of his word, according to the politician and Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi.
“He knew how to speak without fear or complacency.
Our king led the fight against HIV and AIDS.
And I who lost a son in this battle, I am proud of this courageous stand ”, declared Prince Buthelezi
But the word of Goodwill Zwelithini has, on other occasions been much criticized, when he made violent remarks against homosexuals or migrants.
Now, discussions are underway to choose his successor, while the eldest of his 28 children was murdered last November.
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South Africa
Cyril Ramaphosa