King Goodwill Zwelithini gets R4.5 million raise amid COVID-19 crisis

Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini has received a R4.5 million increase. The king has, in total, been allocated a figure of R71.3 million for the 2020/2021 annual year.

Clement Manyathela, on Cape Talk, interviewed KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala and DA leader in the province Zwakele Mncwango on the topic. 

King Goodwill Zwelithini gets a hefty increase 

According to Manyathela, the premier delivered the provincial budget in the legislature on Tuesday 2 June, which showed a big increase for King Goodwill Zwelithini, despite the country trying to battle out a pandemic. 

There have also been concerns that the government is more concerned about King Goodwill Zwelithini’s livelihood than the interventions to curb the spread of the virus. 

As of Tuesday 2 June, there are 2 637 COVID-19 cases in KwaZulu-Natal. There have been 53 deaths and there have been 1 248 recoveries.

The KZN premier, in response, said it’s unfortunate that people are misunderstanding what has taken place. 

“People think that this is about sustaining the king and his livelihood but this is the allocation for cultural programmes that are always implemented under the stewardship of the royal household. This is not the money that goes to his majesty per say and I think that must be cleared,” said Zikalala. 

Zikalala said there’s a royal household section in the premier’s office that oversees the implementation of these programmes. 

“It carries programmes and facilitates the implementation of those programmes,” he said. 

Zikalala said these programmes are for everyone’s benefit. He said some of them do not even take place in the royal household, they take place across the province.

CULTURAL EVENTS OR FLIGHTS? 

Mncwango in response to the premier’s reasoning said they are frustrated with the government. 

“We understand that we are facing challenges and budget cuts all over in terms of service delivery but then we see the increase on the kings budget without any explanation as to what exactly they want to achieve out of this increase,” he said. 

According to Mncwango, the premier allegedly motivated that King Goodwill Zwelithini needed a renovation of the palaces.  

“Last year in July, the king went to the UK with a convoy….I put a question to the premier…how much did we spend for a trip? The response was showing that we spent R4 million just for one trip for the king,” added Mncwango.