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Zulu King Investigated For Anti-Gay Statements

South Africa’s human rights agency is investigating whether or not King Goodwill Zwelithini of the Zulu made comments that risk increasing anti-homosexual sentiment in the nation. According to the Johannesburg newspaper The Times, King Zwelithini called gays ‘rotten’ durring a speech. Commission spokesman Vincent Moaga said that the newspaper stands by the story, but King Zwelithini’s office has said that the speech was mistranslated.

According to the royal household, the king was expressing concern about moral decay and how he believes it leads men to rape other men. Moaga stated, though, that “These are very serious allegations leveled against the king. There are millions of people in South Africa who look up to King Zwelithini. He is revered and respected. It’s important that an accurate reflection of what he said is put out there.”

According to Edge on the Net:

Moaga’s agency said it wanted a transcript of the king’s speech, made during a weekend ceremony marking a Zulu battle victory over British colonial troops. The king spoke in a remote rural area in the eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal, the stronghold for Zulus, the largest ethnic group in this country of 50 million.

The allegations are politically explosive given that President Jacob Zuma is Zulu, and he appeared with King Zwelithini at the anniversary ceremony. While King Zwelithini has no legal powers in South Africa, he is influential on social and cultural matters. His role is far more ceremonial than, say, Queen Elizabeth II who does have some governing powers even if she never exercises them.

The South African constitution empowers the Human Rights Commission with the promotion and monitoring respect for human rights, and it has gone to court several times with regards to that duty.