Durban - HOURS before the “planting” of King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu, health-care workers at the hospital where he spent five weeks before his “bowing” shared what they saw and heard during His Majesty’s stay.
Many of them said they were unaware His Majesty was being treated in their hospital until the day he bowed. According to Royal protocol, a king does not die but bows and a king is not buried but planted because he is seen as a seed that will grow.
His Majesty bowed early on Friday, at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital after being admitted for unstable glucose levels. It had been reported that the king bowed due to Covid-19-related complications.
Traditional Prime Minister to the Zulu monarch and nation Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi had kept the country abreast of the king’s health.
Many had said His Majesty’s health was being kept a secret.
When Buthelezi had made his first announcement about the king on Sunday, February 7, arrangements had been made for him to be treated at a Durban hospital’s intensive care unit.
A source told the Daily News that the king had been admitted to Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital on February 5 in the afternoon. They had seen him being wheeled through the corridors.
Another source said they had noticed a number of black vehicles with identification lights on the roof and had wondered who the very important person being treated at the hospital was.
Four days later, Buthelezi had provided an update after he and the royal family had been inundated with calls about the king’s health. It was also where he had addressed rumours of His Majesty’s health being kept a secret and that the king had bowed.
Buthelezi had said the king was not frail but mobile and was being treated for unstable glucose levels. His doctors had preferred to treat him in ICU, so they could attend to him thoroughly.
A source said: “One of his wives often came to the hospital and his bodyguards often brought him food.”
Another source said the king had been coping since his admission, but during his second weekend in the hospital he had to be ventilated.
At the start of March, Buthelezi told the Daily News that His Majesty continued to receive medical attention from the medical team led by Professor Kennedy Nyamande.
In his update on March 5, Buthelezi said both he and Her Majesty Queen Thandekile were fully briefed by the head of the medical team overseeing His Majesty’s treatment.
They had been reassured that everything was going well, that tests had provided reason for encouragement and that the team was happy with the progress the king was making.
Buthelezi said Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize had visited His Majesty and had provided the same feedback, but that it was “a long way” before the king could be discharged.
The sources confirmed that Mkhize had often visited the king and that Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane had also visited the king and interacted with some of the health-care workers.
One of the sources said there had been talk that if His Majesty had to bow, they were to call the royal family immediately to inform them. Moreover, they were not supposed to touch him.
Traditional and cultural processes had to be followed because of His Majesty’s esteemed position in the royal family.
Another source said there had been a time when His Majesty had been taken off the ventilator.
“I heard that one of his wives had come to visit him. I also saw that the black cars and the bodyguards had returned. I no longer saw them when His Majesty was said to be ventilated,” the source said.
The same source said something had been different on Friday, March 12. Early that morning there were men wearing suits outside the ICU and they were talking on their phones. The men were dressed differently, wearing coats, which they had not worn during previous visits.
The source said they had hoped the king would leave the hospital alive and well because of the time he had spent in ICU and on ventilation.
A private royal service will be held on Wednesday night when the king will be planted. A memorial service will take place at the Khethomthandayo Royal Palace in KwaNongoma on Thursday at 10am.
Daily News