SA province to build new palace for Zulu king

South Africa’s provincial government in KwaZulu-Natal has announced plans to build a new palace for the Zulu monarch King Misuzulu kaZwelithini

The KwaZulu-Natal premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube made the announcement during her State of the Province Address on Wednesday.

The plan for a new palace is in line with Zulu customs that dictate that the king’s residence should not be in his late father’s palace, local media report.

Ms Dube-Ncube in her speech said she was encouraged by the cordial relations between her government and the Zulu king.

“In consultation with His Majesty, we are finalizing plans to build a new palace for the king in Nongoma,” she said.

She added that the government would continue to “provide administrative and logistical support” to the reigning king, just as it did with the late monarch.

It comes amid a continued legal dispute challenging the king’s legitimacy.

In December, a court ruled that President Cyril Ramaphosa's official crowning of the new Zulu king was "unlawful and invalid".

It ordered an inquiry into whether the king’s accession to the throne was in line with customary laws.