Ngomhlaka 01 Novemba 2021 kuvotelwa ohulumeni basekhaya. Ukuvota lokhu kusho ukuthi amaqembu kumele aphume abhukule njengamaphisi eya enqineni ukunxenxa abantu kanye nemphakathi ukuthi bavotele amaqembu awo. Kulokhu ke kwenzeke okungajwayelekile kakhulu ngenkathi iqembu le-Inkatha Freedom Party lisebenzisa indlunkulu yakwaZulu ukunxenxa abantu ukuthi bavotele iqembu okhethweni lwakusasa. Kube nezikhalo ezinkulu kanye nokuhlukana kwemibono kubantu besizwe samaZulu kanye nakhona endlunkulu ngenkathi leli qembu lifaka isithombe sesilo uMisuzulu sikhankasa ngaye kubantu ukuze livotelwe.
Abantu bakhala kufanele ngoba phela indlunkulu ingeyabo bonke abantu bakwaZulu, kanti futhi ayikhethile ngokwehlukana kwamaqembu epolitiki. Lesenzo saleli qembu sigxekwe saze sagxekwa ngisho abakhona ebukhosini bakwaZulu bekhala ngokuthi lesisenzo asinambithisiseki nhlobo. Inkosana yasebukhosini bakwaZulu uPrince Mbonisi Zulu uchaze lesahlakalo njenge sihlangambalazayo. Futhi wabuye wakuveza nokuthi kade kwaba khona izinsolo zokuthi ubukhosi bakwaZulu busetshenziswa ngabathize ukufeza izinhloso zabo zepolitiki. Ezisholo yena uthi ukwenza kwaleli qembu kube imizamo efile yokwenza ubukhosi bakwaZulu bube isigcawu seqembu thizeni lepolitiki “a feeble and failed campaign by politically aligned individuals to define the Zulu throne as being the property of a political party”. Noma ziningi izindlela zokuthi azifake kubantu ukuthi ukuze avotelwe, kubalulekile ukuthi emizamweni yabo bahloniphe ubukhosi bakwaZulu ngoba phela abembethe iqembu elilodwa lepolitiki kepha bungamele wonke umuntu ongaphansi kwabo.
Brief overview
The Inkatha Freedom Party has found itself in hot water after they posted a banner of the elections campaign with the Zulu King Misuzulu, using his picture for electioneering. This picture has sparked public outrage and discontentment among Zulu-speaking people as well as the Royal House. The Zulu Prince, Mbonisi Zulu, issued a statement that clarified that the Royal House does not belong to any political party, and that the IFP should be called to order for using the image of the king in its elections campaign.
Siboniso Langa is a content generator, researcher and practising poet. His work focuses on Zulu oral and material culture, its promotion and preservation. He holds an Honours degree in Community and Development studies from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN).