No extra security measures for royal coronation despite rift, says task team

There will be no “unique” security measures in place at the ceremony of the handing over of the certificate of recognition to the Zulu king, despite the rift among royal family members.

That was revealed by the interministerial task team that visited Moses Mabhida Stadium on Monday.

“There is always a security plan on every event that takes place to make sure that it is safe for all the people who are there. There will be nothing unique to this event, every event that we have does have security cover,” said co-operative governance and traditional affairs minister and task team chairperson Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

Dlamini-Zuma was addressing the media after their inspection and planning meeting.

The ceremony, at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on October 29, is when President Cyril Ramaphosa will officially hand over a certificate to King Misuzulu kaZwelithini.

Dlamini-Zuma also revealed that the people attending the event will fill just over 80% of the 55,500 capacity.

“The capacity of the stadium will be 48,000 because there will be a stage which will then kill some seats behind it. Those people will consist of the king and his guests, local and international, the royal family, the president will also be here. There will also be the judiciary and some parliamentary representatives and the public,” she said.

The task team has maintained that, while it is an important milestone, the certificate handover is not the coronation of the Zulu king, as Misuzulu kaZwelithini has already ascended to the throne and performed the entering of the kraal ceremony in August.

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