King of the Zulus, who had ruled since 1968, dies

The king, who was the longest-serving Zulu monarch, had been in the hospital for more than a month, where he was being treated for diabetes-related health problems

King Zwelithini was aged 20 when he was named successor to the throne following his father’s death in 1968 (AFP via Getty Images)

King Goodwill Zwelithini of the Zulu nation in South Africa has died in hospital aged 72, his family announced. 

The king, who was the longest-serving Zulu monarch, had been in the hospital for more than a month, where he was being treated for diabetes-related health problems. 

Although King Zwelithini’s position was largely ceremonial, he had considerable influence over the country’s estimated 12 million Zulus, the largest ethnic group of South Africa’s 60 million people. 

King Zwelithini was aged 20 when he was named successor to the throne following his father’s death in 1968, although he wasn’t crowned until 1971 because he was in hiding after receiving death threats. 

He outwardly criticised the government’s planned land redistribution policy, which could affect large tracts of land belonging to the Zulu nation. 

The king owns 29 per cent of the land of the KwaZulu-Natal province, through the Ingonyama Trust, on which an estimated five million people live, mostly in rural farming communities. 

Historically, under the leadership of King Shaka Zulu from 1816 to 1828, Zulus gave fierce resistance to British colonialism.

President Cyril Ramaphosa praised Zwelithini for his contribution to the province’s economic and cultural development.

He said: “His Majesty will be remembered as a much-loved, visionary monarch who made an important contribution to cultural identity, national unity, and economic development in KwaZulu-Natal and through this, to the development of our country as a whole.”

John Steenhuisen, leader of the opposition Democratic Alliance, also expressed his condolences. 

He said: “Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, the Royal House and the Zulu nation in this time of loss.

“May you find comfort and strength as you mourn and celebrate his full life.”

Bantu Holomisa of the United Democratic Movement also expressed his sadness at Zwelithini’s passing.

“As the custodian of Zulu tradition and customs, he specifically played a critical role in the Zulu nation during the height of the HIV/Aids pandemic in South Africa,” said Mr Holomisa, referring to Zwelithini’s public statements that increased awareness of that virus.

King Zwelithini told Al-Jazeera in 2016 that God had warned him about the HIV/Aids epidemic before it took hold.

He said that this warning had led him to revive the tradition of the reed dance - where thousands of young women dance for him - so he could get them together to warn them in turn about HIV/Aids.

Additional reporting by AP