The newly-appointed AmaZulu monarch, King Misuzulu kaZwelithini, has been greeted with a R5 million budget cut for the upkeep of the royal house.
Premier Sihle Zikalala tabled the provincial budget vote at the Pietermaritzburg Legislature on Friday.
The Premier held his inaugural meeting with the new Zulu King on Thursday. They deliberated on King Misuzulu kaZwelithini’s coronation and budgeting for the Zulu Royal House.
Previously the royal house was ordered to initiate revenue-generating activities for it to be self-sustainable.
A few facts about the new AmaZulu King, Misuzulu kaZwelithini:
The upkeep of the Zulu Royal House includes a 24-hour-security, general welfare of eight palaces and hosting of annual cultural events, including the Reed Dance, uMkhosi Wesivivane and the King Shaka Commemoration Day.
The Office of the Premier received just over R800 million.
“R66 074 million is allocated for the royal household sub-programme. This budget is allocated for activities which include among other things, the hosting of annual traditional and cultural to preserve Zulu culture as well as the hosting of the heritage events such as the King’s coronation day, prayer day events. By mid-year and eight events which were coordinated by the office of the Premier while six events are planned for the remainder of the year,” says Zikalala.
KZN SA’s second biggest contributor
The province still features strongly in the country’s GDP as the second biggest contributor. This despite the COVID-19 pandemic which caused a decline in global economic prospects.
The province reported the largest economic losses in the second quarter of 2020 in mining, quarrying and construction by 75 %.
But government says the economy is showing resilience.
“We have adopted the recovery and transformation plan which should push for our economy out of the woods, but the threat of a third wave remains real. We remain optimistic and encouraged by the investor confidence in KZN. On Tuesday, for instance, we were honoured to witness the launch of the Keystone Logistics Facility in Hammarsdale, which is R1.6 billion investment in our economy by the private sector,” says Premier Zikalala.
The province’s treasury department, which also tabled its budget on Friday, has for the ninth consecutive year seen cuts on its annual budget to just over R133 billion.
