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The family of the late Zulu King, Shaka Zulu, is fighting tooth and nail to keep their legacy intact and their stories told in their own unique way. Or so we believe, given the drama surrounding two Shaka Zulu productions.
It’s Meshack Mavuso’s play Shaka Zulu: The Gaping Wound, which retells the story of Ilembe Eleqa Amanye Amalembe Ngokukhalipha, if it isn’t the Shaka Ilembe drama between the production crew and their respective families.
In an interview with Drum Magazine, he revealed that he has distanced himself from the uproar caused by the families and has received approval from the current Zulu King, Misizulu kaZwelithini.
“I do not want to entertain this thing and be in trouble for something I do not know. The entire world knows him as Shaka Zulu. I sat down with the current King (King Misuzulu) and we spoke about this and I believed that was enough. Okunye nokunye, cha mina angikwazi (I don’t know about anything else).”
“Anything we do as Africans involve song and dance. When we mourn, we sing and dance. When we rejoice, we sing and dance, and even when we protest we sing and dance,” says Meshack.
“The story of Ilembe is internationally known and he is known as Shaka Zulu and so I cannot be expected to fix something that has nothing to do with me. I did not know of issues of inhlawulo (damages) that is between the families. If they want to sue anyone, they must sue those who wrote the history books and leave me alone. I must be excused from family issues.”
This takes us back to the drama of the Mhlongo family and the Shaka Ilembe crew. The crew allegedly fought with the family after visiting Queen Nandi’s grave without permission from them.
However this was rectified by one of the family members who said he had written to the crew and gave them permission. “I am Reacting to the news that Nomzamo Mbatha and Shaka Ilembe crew invited themselves to Queen Nandi’s grave. That is not true. I’m the one who invited the Shaka Ilembe crew. They did not invite themselves as alleged. I wanted them to be there with us,” he said as quoted by the publication.