Publications
- Rumours claiming Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini had died are false, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi has confirmed.
- The monarch was admitted to hospital on Sunday and is currently in ICU.
- Buthelezi added that the king was "fully mobile" and "not frail in any way".
Rumours of the death of Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini have been labelled as "cruel" and "irresponsible" by former IFP leader, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi.
In a statement released on Thursday, Buthelezi addressed rumours circulating on social media that the king had died.
Zwelithini was admitted to a hospital on Sunday and was reported to be in ICU receiving treatment after his glucose levels became unstable over the weekend.
Buthelezi said:
The veteran politician, in his role as traditional prime minister to the Zulu monarch, said the rumours had caused "tremendous pain on the Royal Family".
"One wonders what kind of people would start such cruel, false rumours that His Majesty has passed, when he is most certainly alive. Unfortunately, such grossly irresponsible behaviour has been seen before... In the age of social media, false news is disseminated like wildfire.
"One can only hope that those who report the news on official channels would have the discernment to treat such serious matters on the basis of fact," he said.
