KZN to curb king's spending

2010-03-10 07:42

Durban - King Goodwill Zwelithini will be limited to 24 local trips and three abroad to contain the runaway expenses of the Zulu royal household, The Mercury reported on Wednesday.

The paper quoted acting director general in the KZN premier's office, Roger Govender, as saying that spending on maintenance of the king’s five palaces had been curtailed.

Govender said cost cutting measures would also include limiting the number of trips made by the king and queens and to control expenditure on farms.

The Royal Household Department was allocated R40m for the 2010/2011 financial year. The department was being phased out and it would be replaced by a royal trust which will manage the royal upkeep and raise funds for the royal family.

The king’s vehicles had been reduced from 32 to 22 and the provincial government would pay for their maintenance.

The Royal Household Department was blamed every financial year for overspending by millions.

- SAPA