MAY KING ZWELITHINI’S SPIRIT OF UBUNTU PERSEVERE

BY NIGEL WARD, PRESIDENT OF THE DURBAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY NPC UHLANGA lomhlabathi, a peacemaker who always availed himself, gave guidance to his people and promoted unity.

Ubhejane phuma esqiwini the teacher and custodian of heritage and culture, he taught his people to embrace cultural practices with utmost pride. His Majesty a tourism ambassador, it is through cultural events such as Umkhosi Womhlanga and Umkhosi Wokweshwama where you would see numbers of local and international visitors flock into KwaZulu-Natal. Not only would visitors be exposed to the Zulu culture and heritage, these events created jobs and businesses opportunities for locals through visitor numbers.

In unveiling the former late president’s statue in Mitchell Park, King Zwelithini said it is a symbol of social cohesion, especially between Africans and Indians in eThekwini. “The relationship between the Zulu nation and people of Indian descent has developed certain negative stereotypes. We need to get to know each other’s habits, cultures and traditions and stop being ignorant,” said King Zwelithini.

He was adamant at not letting his people forget their history and believed that through historical sites, South Africa would be able to tell its own stories and educate people about its rich heritage.

His Majesty encouraged his subjects into entrepreneurship which is consistent with the Durban Chamber’s strategic goal of economic growth and job creation.

Imbube promoted economic growth and unlocked new investment opportunities through his good relations with other kingdoms, governments, and leaders from all spheres all over the world. The businesses community has had a healthy and positive relationship with the king. His credible leadership positioned KZN as a favourable investment destination.

King Goodwill Zwelithini presided over Ingonyama Trust. It is through the trust where agriculture development was identified. He played an integral part in poverty alleviation through agriculture. He and other leaders made land available for farming and wanted the government to create access to markets for SMMEs.

He was an advocate for small business development and wanted small-scale farmers to be assisted in opportunities to export to international markets. Through the Ingonyama Trust he championed economic growth and made land available for development in the rural areas for the benefit of the people.

The passing of the king came at a challenging time where His Majesty’s wisdom would have empowered our society to win the battle we are currently facing.

The vulnerable in our communities face times of intense difficulty. It is critical for organised business to uplift poor communities by strengthening ties with various economic sectors through socioeconomic relief measures. We believe it is important that KwaZuluNatal comes together in assisting poor communities and preserving livelihoods.

As we try and move forward without His Majesty, organised business believes the interaction with social partners including traditional leaders is critical and must be mutually beneficial for it to be profitable. Frequent consultation on key matters will lead to sustainable solutions. Engagement that is participative, facilitative and accountable is critical to promoting a healthy relationship with stakeholders.

A recent article cited the king as having been a king for everyone and not only the Zulu nation. We believe the legacy of equality will resonate in the hearts of many business leaders.

The Durban Chamber will remember strides the king took in ensuring that business, government and community work together to build social cohesion. May the spirit of Ubuntu persevere.

Bayede! Wena Wendlovu!