South Africa’s late King Goodwill Zwelithini will be “planted” at a men-only burial ceremony on Thursday night, a prominent royal family member announced on Monday.
Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, and Prime Minister of the Zulu Nation, said that hours before the burial Zwelithini would be honoured at a memorial service to be held at the royal palace in KwaNongoma in KwaZulu Natal Province.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that he had accorded the prominent traditional leader the first category of a special official funeral.
This type of funeral involves the military performing the burial ceremonial to honour the once-influential figure of the Zulus, the country’s biggest ethnic group.
Thousands of guests, including former president Jacob Zuma, have been paying tribute and their last respects to the monarch at the palace since his death from diabetic complications at a Durban hospital on Friday.
The 72-year-old king’s remains arrived at the royal palace from Durban on Saturday.
Having ruled the Zulu kingdom for 50 years, he leaves behind six wives and 28 children.
NM/jn/APA