Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini is challenging the Ingonyama Trust Board’s authority to convene traditional leaders without his approval, while the board disputes the king’s account of a planned investment conference and its budget.
At the centre of the dispute is whether the board can make decisions without the monarch, who is the sole trustee of the Ingonyama Trust and chairperson of the board by virtue of being king.
Speaking at the 46th annual Reed Dance ceremony, the king criticised the board for approving R14 million for an investment conference for traditional leaders in Durban without his knowledge or approval.
He also questioned the legality of the board operating with only four members and said he was taking the matter to court.
The conference referred to by the king is the Rural Economy Development and Investment Indaba that is scheduled to take place on September 30 at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban. The event is being organised by the Ingonyama Trust Board, which has invited traditional leaders.
The king opposes the event, describing it as a breach of protocol. He said that only he had the authority to convene traditional leaders under the Zulu kingdom.
Board disputes budget and authority claim
In response to questions from The National, board spokesperson Siphiwe Mxakaza said preparations for the investment conference were progressing well.
He disputed the king’s claim that the Trust would spend R14 million, saying the conference budget was R4 million.
Mxakaza said the event was an investment-focused platform intended to bring together amakhosi, development finance institutions, financial institutions, institutional investors, private-sector partners, government and municipalities.
“The participation of amakhosi is central to the programme, as the discussions relate directly to development and investment opportunities within their communities. This is therefore not a general meeting of amakhosi or imbizo, but an investment conference focused on rural economic development,” Mxakaza said.
Regarding the reported court action, Mxakaza said the board was not aware of any court papers having been served in relation to the matter.
“Should any legal process arise, it will be dealt with through the appropriate legal channels,” he said.
Wider governance dispute
The friction marks the latest chapter in a long-standing power struggle between the monarch and the administrative body. King Misuzulu has consistently maintained that the board’s current iteration was constituted without sufficient royal consultation.
The legal history surrounding the board remains complex. Following an attempt by the King to disband the board in 2024, Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development Mzwanele Nyhontso stepped in, asserting that statutory authority to dissolve the board rested strictly with his cabinet portfolio, not the monarchy.
When Minister Nyhontso subsequently moved to dissolve the board in March 2026 following a wave of member resignations, the Pietermaritzburg High Court set the decision aside. The court ruled that while the Minister retains the power to remove individual members for cause, the statute does not permit the arbitrary dissolution of the entire accounting authority over quorum deficits. For its part, the board maintained that statutory regulations allow a quorum to be established at subsequent meetings to fill vacancies, pointing to executive delay by the Ministry in finalizing replacement appointments.
The King has since used public platforms, including the ceremonial opening of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, to lobby for legislative reform of the Ingonyama Trust Act
He said he wanted direct control over the board, including the power to appoint and dissolve its members.
At the previous year’s investment iNdaba, the king sent the then Traditional Prime Minister, Rev Thulasizwe Buthelezi, to inform traditional leaders that the gathering did not have his approval.
Some traditional leaders left the conference hall, while others remained.
willem.phungula@nationalmg.co.za