National King Goodwill Zwelithini’s royal budget rises to nearly R66m in 2018 BL PREMIUM

Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini is getting more money.KwaZulu-Natal premier Willies Mchunu announced during his budget vote for the 2018-19 financial year in the provincial legislature in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday that Zwelithini’s annual budget had been increased by R7m. The royal will get R65.8m in 2018.The monarch — who has often come under fire for his lavish spending — has maintained that he was entitled to the budget as it was derived from tax revenue generated by his subjects.The premier’s office is responsible for supporting the king and the royal family‚ as well as for the royal household trust, which was established to make the Zulu royal family self-sustainable.Mchunu did not elaborate on the money allocated to the royal household would be spent. He also did not disclose how much would be allocated to the royal household trust.Mchunu also disclosed in his speech that Zwelithini would participate in various important ceremonies and traditional functions‚ such as the reed ...