Cloaked with animal skins, several hundred men in traditional warrior clothes are paying their last farewells to the Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini who passed away on Friday at the age of 72 after serving for 50 years, at the Nongoma morgue in South Africa. The remains of the leader will be buried (“planted” as referred to in Zulu tradition) on Wednesday night at a private ceremony in the presence of men only, according to the Zulu rite. A national tribute will be paid to him on Thursday. Mobile phones in hand, jumping, singing and whistling as the procession passed, hundreds of people gathered in the small northeastern town of native Kwazulu province, images broadcast by Kenyan media showed. Adorned in colourful traditional neck and headpieces Zulu maidens danced rhythmically. The king’s body, kept in the city mortuary, is transported to the royal palace of KwaKhethomthandayo, one of the sovereign’s seven mansions, before the funeral begins. Mourners have been flocking to the palace to pay their last respects, despite calls from the royal family to avoid gatherings because of the coronavirus pandemic. The name of King Goodwill Zwelithini’s successor is still kept secret. His last wishes must be read at the end of the funeral.
SOURCE: AFRICA NEWS
More Stories
The Latest Sign of Progress in Ethiopia’s Peace Deal
Traditional Gender Norms are the Main Barrier to Ghanaian Women Pursuing Academic Careers
Tanzania is a Beautiful and Peaceful Country, but there is a Dark Side
Nigerian Official and Wife Found Guilty for Organ-trafficking Plot
Uganda Bill Makes Provisions for the Arrest and Imprisonment of LGBTQ People
Sex in a Mogadishu City
Algerian Authorities Dismantle an International Network of Migrant Smugglers to Europe
Blinken’s Trip is the Latest in a Series of Visits to Africa by US Government Figures
Film Tells the Story of a Tragedy Perpetrated in Africa by German Colonial Troops
The Top Ten Most Ethnically Diverse Countries are all African Countries
South Africa Still a Long Way Off in Building a National Culture of Human Rights
After Lawsuits and Demonstrations Led by Chagossian Women, Britain Paid Some Compensation through the Mauritian Government to the Exiled Chagos Population