King Goodwill Zwelithini praised the nationalist government and Apartheid during an event at Nongoma according to a report.

The Star reports that Zwelithini credited the Nationalist Party with building the strongest economy and army on the continent, and saying that the advent of “this so-called democracy” saw black people who “loved to use matches” burn down infrastructure built during Apartheid.

“The economy that we are now burning down. You do not want to build on what you had inherited. You are going to find yourselves on the wrong side of history,” said Zwelithini.

“You don’t want to use them (buildings), you say this is apartheid infrastructure. Your leaders are occupying buildings where Apartheid laws were made to oppress you,” the king said.

He also fondly remembered the respect he received during Apartheid.

“The Afrikaners respected me. I don’t know how it happened that the Afrikaners respect me so much.”