AFP
Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini. File photo: AFP
Durban – The Royal Household Trust, charged with looking after the Zulu king’s family affairs, is battling to do its job because of a “severe staff shortage”, the provincial portfolio committee responsible for the royal household was told on Tuesday.
Delivering its quarterly expenditure report at the provincial legislature in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday, the trust’s acting chief financial officer, Sipho Buthelezi, said the staff shortage, which included key officials, was preventing the trust from functioning.
The trust was created as a self-sustaining public entity four years ago – with the aim of removing from taxpayers the responsibility of funding the king.
The trust was given R5.7 million, allocated from the Royal Household Department, for the past two quarters.
“In terms of capacity we have a serious problem. The solution might be that we cut down on some of our responsibilities,” said Buthelezi.
The trust operates with Buthelezi and acting chief executive Judge Jerome Ngwenya, a financial officer, an office administration manager, a palace manager, two administrative assistants and interns.
It is appointing a permanent chief executive, chief financial office and human resources manager.
It has a long list of responsibilities that include managing the king’s family groceries, paying the princes and princesses’ school fees, maintaining six queens, and running the royal palaces and farms.
Separate from the trust is the Royal Household Department, which has a R63m budget. It manages the king’s work affairs and maintains vehicles.
On Tuesday, the portfolio committee heard that a number of Royal Household Department staff should have been transferred to the trust, but this had not happened.
This was because the employees were reluctant to move as they feared their jobs would be jeopardised under the trust.
Provincial director-general Nhlanhla Ngidi said he was aware that the Royal Household Department employees were not happy about being transferred to the trust.
DA MPL Johann Krog was concerned the trust was a waste of money as it appeared to be operating parallel to the Royal Household Department.
The Mercury
