statements about Premier Ndebele
28 September 2007
Recent reports in the media regarding Premier Mr Sibusiso Ndebele's failure
to attend recent events involving His Majesty King Zwelithini refer. Statements
attributed to His Majesty the King recently, have given the wrong impression
that Premier Sibusiso Ndebele had stayed away from important events hosted by
the King of KwaZulu-Natal.
The Office of the Premier does not depend on the presence or absence of any
individual for its smooth and efficient functioning. This is an international
convention and which is enshrined in our Constitution. It is a practice which
is also cascaded to all levels of government. This is precisely to avoid the
occurrence that government grinds to a halt when individuals are not in the
office for extended periods. For this reason the Premier Mr Sibusiso Ndebele
has on many occasions since his appointment in 2004, ensured when he was away,
an Acting Premier is appointed. This is to ensure that the work of the Office
of the Premier continues.
During the Reed Dance which was held at Enyokeni this year, it must be
placed on record that as the Office of the Premier and the Premier we
registered our full support. Through the line-function department, the
Department of Arts and Culture, we were active in our support of the entire
ceremony. We fully funded this year's Reed Ceremony. The line function MEC Mrs
Weziwe Thusi attended the ceremony, as did the MEC for Public Works Ms Lydia
Johnson. The Director-General of the province Dr Kwazi Mbanjwa also
attended.
The second issue is that of the King Shaka celebrations held on September
24. During this year's commemorations the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal Mr Ndebele
was away in South Korea on official government business. Dr Zweli Mkhize, who
was Acting Premier at the time, however did attend the function and delivered
an address in his capacity as acting political head of KwaZulu-Natal. Other
members of the KwaZulu-Natal executive also attended this ceremony.
We must also place on record that prior to the staging of the Reed Dance and
the King Shaka events the Premier personally went to see His Majesty. He was in
the company of the Director-General of the Province Doctor Kwazi Mbanjwa.
During that meeting we discussed these events and expressed our support as the
government of KwaZulu-Natal and the Office of the Premier. Against this
background it is therefore very surprising and in fact worrying that aspersions
are cast on the Office of the Premier and the Premier's person as to his
respect for the monarchy. Mr Ndebele has done everything to enhance the status
of His Majesty and traditional leadership in general.
We said so during the State of the Province Address this year and also
during the Royal Budget Vote, during which we dedicated more resources to the
institution of Zulu Royalty than we have ever done before. We have also set
about ensuring that the institution itself becomes autonomous and independent,
this is to ensure that in future there can be no political interference in the
institution of Zulu Royalty.
We must also state unequivocally that the Diary of the Office of the Premier
remains the sole responsibility of the Premier. Just as no one dictates the
diary of His Majesty, no one dictates the Premier's Diary. We are clearly
uncertain as to where the insinuations above emanate from but hope that this is
a situation which can be cleared in order to maintain the good relations we
have with His Majesty the King.
Enquiries:
Mandla Msomi
Cell: 082 317 3727 or 072 671 0775
Issued by: Office of the Premier, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
28 September 2007
