Nazareth Baptist Church leader Mduduzi “Nyazilwezulu” Shembe has called for the reconstruction of King Shaka’s KwaDukuza palace to preserve Zulu heritage and tradition.

Speaking at the annual Umkhosi weLembe celebration at the Stanger High School grounds last Wednesday, Shembe said the palace was once the heart of Zulu customs and rituals and should be restored to its former significance.

“There is a great need to rebuild the palace so that the annual ceremony can be held in a sacred environment, not on a sports field,” said Shembe.

“The palace was lost with him upon his death. We all know the words he spoke before he died. By rebuilding his palace, perhaps those words can be revived and the nation freed from the challenges it faces.”

King Misuzulu kaZwelithini supported the call, adding that the palace could also serve as a key tourism site for KZN.

“I thank Shembe Nyazilwezulu for attending this important event. When the first Umkhosi weLembe was held with the late Zulu prime minister, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Shembe was part of that gathering,” said the king.

This year’s celebration drew thousands who braved heavy rain to honour King Shaka, the founder of the Zulu nation.

Shembe’s presence was a highlight, marking his first visit to an Umkhosi weLembe celebration in KwaDukuza.

The last time he had joined the celebrations was for a special bicentenary commemoration of King Shaka’s reign, which was held at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban in 2016.

Umkhosi weLembe, also known as Shaka Day, is held annually to honour King Shaka kaSenzangakhona, who unified the Zulu clans into a powerful kingdom in the early 19th century.

His KwaDukuza palace, once the seat of his authority, was destroyed after his assassination by his half-brothers in 1828 and the town of Stanger later developed around its remains.

During the ceremony, Deputy Zulu Prime Minister Inkosi Phathisizwe Chiliza criticised a recent Constitutional Court ruling allowing men to adopt their wives’ surnames, calling it an attack on tradition. King Misuzulu echoed the concern, urging Zulus to reject the practice.

“Do not do it. It will mean the death of this nation. When they mislead the nation, they disconnect people from their roots,” he said.

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