In brief
In a speech that was intended to quell anti-migrant sentiments, Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini used a derogatory term for foreign nationals and called for their expulsion. This has elicited backlash from human rights advocates and reignited discussions about xenophobia in South Africa, a country that continues to grapple with high unemployment and societal tension surrounding migrants.
South Africa's Zulu king has raised eyebrows by using a highly derogatory term for foreigners and saying they must all leave the country during a much-hyped speech that was supposed to have been aimed at calming anti-migrant feelings in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal.
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Misuzulu kaZwelithini was addressing his supporters at the place where 20,000 Zulus warriors defeated a British contingent of 1,800 soldiers 147 years ago beneath the rocky outcrop of Isandlwana hill.
The ire of many of King Misuzulu's subjects is now directed not at British invaders but at migrants from neighbouring countries like Lesotho, Mozambique and Zimbabwe who have come to South Africa to work. According to official statistics, the country is home to about 2.4 million migrants, about 4% of the population.
The 51-year-old monarch did not advocate violence but said all 'kwerekwere', an offensive word for African migrants, must pack their bags - even if they were in relationships with South Africans and had children with them.
He later tried to back-pedal, claiming he was misquoted, but the country's human rights body found his comments 'hurtful and harmful'.
Vigilante anti-migrant groups, like Operation Dudula, have gained notoriety for their demands that foreign nationals be removed from the country, prompting protests and unrest amid the ongoing tension surrounding immigration in South Africa.
The king also expressed a desire to drop 'Natal' from KwaZulu-Natal's name in an echo to his late father's aspirations, stirring discussions around Zulu nationalism and its implications in a diverse post-apartheid society.
Commentators have noted that while the king remains influential among Zulus, his remarks can incite damaging xenophobia and should be met with condemnation.
