Throngs of people lined the street leading to the home of IFP founder Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi to catch a glimpse of the hearse transporting his body to his home in KwaPhindengene near Ulundi on Friday.

The body of Buthelezi, who died on Saturday at the age of 95, had been kept at the local mortuary following his death last week Saturday.

The body was then released from the mortuary on Friday as part of the preparations for Buthelezi’s funeral, which will take place in Ulundi on Saturday.

According to IFP national executive committee (NEC) member, Albert Mncwango, the reason for taking Buthelezi’s body from the mortuary to his home on Friday was to provide his family with the space to perform the necessary Buthelezi clan rituals before his burial on Saturday.

“uMntwana Kaphindangene [Buthelezi] will be kept at his home overnight. His body will then be transported to the Prince Mangosuthu Stadium here in Ulundi for the funeral service. Thereafter, Amabutho will escort his body to his home at KwaPhindangene for burial.”

As preparations for the release of Buthelezi’s body were being finalised on Friday afternoon, scores of women, children and Amabutho lined the street to the IFP founder’s home.

The residents, who waved IFP flags, ululated and sang Buthelezi’s praises as his hearse made its way to his family home.

Linda Ngcobo, who hails from Mahlabatini outside the Ulundi CBD, said he was looking she was happy that “now that our leader is at home”.

“To me, it’s as if he is still alive. Even though he is gone, the fact that he is home today [Friday] consoles me a lot. It makes me feel as though he is back with us again,” he said.

Thokozile Ntuli, who lives a few houses away from Buthelezi’s KwaPhindangene homestead, said although she would not be able to view his neighbour’s body, she was just content with catching a glimpse of the hearse carrying his coffin.

That’s why I joined others here on the side of the road, I wanted to see the hearse. I know it’s him inside there. I’m extremely happy,” she said.

“He was a really good person and I hope that God will take care of him wherever he is now,” she said.

According to the organisers of the funeral, more than 30 000 people are expected to attend Buthelezi’s Saturday funeral.

President Ramaphosa, who described Buthelezi as a “formidable leader” will deliver the eulogy at the IFP founder’s funeral.

Ramaphosa has accorded Buthelezi a special official funeral category 1, meaning, in amongst other things, that members of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) will be responsible for carrying his coffin to his final resting place at the family cemetery just outside the IFP founder’s home.

However, it has since been agreed between Buthelezi and the government that some duties around the handling of Buthelezi’s coffin would be assigned to the Amabutho as opposed to the SANDF.

As such, members of the SANDF will only transport Buthelezi’s coffin within the Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Regional Stadium during Saturday’s funeral service.

It is the Amabutho, who since the beginning of Buthelezi’s public life in the ’60s have been an important part of his support network, who will carry his body to the grave.

Buthelezi, who at the time of his death was an IFP MP, had been the Zulu nation prime minister since the ’60s.

As prime minister of the Zulu nation, one of Buthelezi’s key roles has been to advise Zulu King MisuZulu kaZwelithini on a number of matters.

However, despite Buthelezi’s key role in the Zulu Royal Family, King Misuzulu kaZwethini will not be able to attend the Zulu nation prime minister’s funeral.

The King’s absence at Buthelezi’s funeral is in line with Zulu Royal Family customs which forbid the King from attending funerals.