Zulu King Misuzulu rages over SADC Summit snub in KZN – Dirco insists invite was sent
Among the dignitaries was King Misuzulu's uncle, King Mswati III of Eswatini, who was accorded full royal protocol.
AmaZulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini has angrily protested his exclusion from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit, held in Durban, South Africa in August 2026. The King threatened to send the Zulu regiment to halt the meeting if he was not invited. The 9th Annual SADC Industrialisation Week and 46th SADC Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government focused on the development of critical minerals including lithium, cobalt, manganese, graphite, and rare earth elements.
The summit preceded a SADC summit on August 17th where President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed regional leaders to Durban, a city revered by the AmaZulu monarch as his own. King Misuzulu's uncle, King Mswati III of Eswatini, was given full royal protocol at the summit. However, King Misuzulu claims his name was omitted from the official guest list and programme, viewing it as a snub and disrespectful treatment.
The Zulu King expressed his frustration at being left out of major events in KwaZulu-Natal, despite being the custodian of the land and resources related to traditional communities. He vowed that no significant events in his province would occur without his invitation, and threatened to ban politicians from his land if they continued to ignore him.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) confirmed an official invitation to the SADC Summit was sent to King Misuzulu. They stated they will engage with the King's private office to clarify any misunderstandings. President Cyril Ramaphosa concluded the 46th SADC Summit in Durban on August 17th, assuming the rotating chairmanship of SADC for the next 12 months.
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