King Misuzulu kaZwelithini’s Private Secretary, Arnold Ndamase, has formally retained all the responsibilities of the office following the sudden resignation of Prince Khishwangubani Zulu.
Zulu, who is from the Egazini royal residence in Ceza village outside Ulundi, tendered his resignation letter on Wednesday evening after a month in the position.
He confirmed his resignation; however, he refused to discuss the reasons for his decision, saying that it should be the King’s Office that makes his reasons public, not him.
“I think it is enough to confirm my resignation; however, for the reasons, the media must contact the King’s Office,” said Zulu.
The newly appointed king’s spokesperson, Mpikayise Buthelezi, confirmed Zulu’s resignation but also did not reveal the reasons.
However, a source inside the royal family said that Zulu never assumed his duties after the king continued to assign Ndamase to the duties that fell under him as the new private secretary.
“You will recall that even during his introduction as the new private secretary, the king announced that Ndamase would remain in the office, so it became clear that Zulu would be redundant since he was going to be a private secretary only in name,” said the source.
The source added that another reason for Zulu’s resignation was that he was not provided with resources, including a salary and a car, to carry out his duties since the provincial government never recognised his appointment.
Zulu was announced by the then-king’s spokesperson, Prince Thulani Zulu, on May 26 following a statement by the Traditional Prime Minister Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi that the king’s Private Office had been closed. He was to be placed under the KwaZulu-Natal Premier’s Office and would have operated from the Ulundi office.
In his statement on Thursday morning, Buthelezi announced that Ndamase has fully resumed all the responsibilities of the king’s private secretary, together with other administrative duties in the king’s office.
willem.phungula@inl.co.za
