[ Home ] [ Speeches & statements ]

It gives me great pleasure to present to this House the budget vote for the Department of His Majesty the King of the Zulu Nation. The presentation of this budgetary vote is the culmination of a long process. It is also a milestone on a long road ahead, which will eventually lead to adequate and fitting forms of legislative and constitutional recognition of the institution of our monarchy. I am proud to present this budget vote as an example of how my Government can indeed bring about transformation which improves on the quality of its services, while reducing costs.

To appreciate the importance of this budget vote and the service rendered by the Department under the control of the Premier, mention must be made once again of the importance and role of the institution of the monarchy within our Province. The domestic and international uniqueness of our Province is closely tied to the existence and preservation of the monarchy of KwaZulu. It is significant that consensus has now emerged to refer to our Province as the Zulu Kingdom in the various marketing plans and programmes aimed at attracting tourism. The existence of our Kingdom gives lustre to our Province and we must ensure that, in our action, our Province maintains and enhances the lustre that the Kingdom enjoys both domestically and internationally. The services we provide to the monarchy and its incumbent are services rendered to our Province. These services have a direct bearing on economic growth and social stability in our Province.

Our monarchy wishes to be a symbol of unity and stability for all the people of our Province. We intend it to be there as a symbol in which all the citizens of KwaZulu-Natal may take pride. It is a symbol of our commitment to be inspired by our traditions to move ahead in unity and harmony, to build a common future based on prosperity and stability. The establishment of a department for the monarchy begins a process, which, we hope, will enable our Province to take increasing advantage of the many social and economic benefits, which can be generated for it from the existence of a well-regulated and properly maintained monarchy.

Throughout the modern world it is the responsibility of democratically elected government to identify, define and maintain a role for their monarchy so that it can benefit the whole of society. Most European countries have advanced democracy, and within their democratic discretion they have recognised the importance of maintaining and upholding their respective monarchies.

We, the Members of this House, carry the responsibility of ensuring that our monarchy can render to our Province the full measure of benefits, pride and lustre of which it is capable. This is a challenge for which we all equally bear the same responsibility. It would be very detrimental if any segment of our population were to take the destructive and non-committal position that the monarchy of our Province is not a matter for its interest or concern.

That would mean that there are some people in this House who have no interest in ensuring that our Province can receive its maximal benefits from what is undoubtedly its most important cultural institution and symbol of its domestic and international identify. I do not believe that there is any such person in this House, but we all share at least a minimum common denominator of interest, respect and concern for our monarchy, which recognises our duty to uphold and maintain it.

Over and above this minimum common denominator, we may have difference in emphasis. I recognise that my measure of respect for the monarchy of KwaZulu-Natal may be greater than that of some of my colleagues in this House. Nonetheless, in presenting the budget for the Department of the Monarchy, may I assure the Honourable Members that we have looked objectively at the requirements of the monarchy. We have accommodated them within the present budgetary constraints in order to reflect the full measure of respect, which is commonly felt in this House for the institution of the monarchy. Therefore, I sincerely hope and trust that, in this House, the discussion of this important budgetary vote will bring the Honourable Members closer together. We hope that this matter shall not become the object of political point-scoring.

It is up to us to decide whether we really wish to keep the monarchy above the daily dynamics of politics and its often acrimonious tones. This is the only way we can preserve its value for the Province and for our future. It is up to us to give lustre to this monarchy, as we also have the option to tarnish its image. We will tarnish its image if we get it embroiled in petty political debate and political slander. I sincerely hope that during this debate the House will affirm its commitment to respect and give lustre to its monarchy.

It was in 1995 that the KwaZulu-Natal government began a review of the organisation of all administrative functions and offices dealing with the support services of His Majesty the King. The review culminated in the creation of Vote 16 which aimed at aggregating together some of the relevant support services. However, fragmentation persisted. The Accounting Officer for Vote 16 took a voluntarily package at the end of June 1999.

The responsibility for Vote 16 was taken over by the Head of the Department of Agriculture. The Office of the Premier dealt with administrative support staff in Ulundi and in the Linduzulu Administration Office in Nongoma. The Department of Works was responsible for the maintenance of buildings provided at the royal residences. The Department of Agriculture continued to provide support to the royal farms.

The need for co-ordination of the royal household support services was long overdue. Therefore, in May 1999, Cabinet resolved to consolidate the management and the staff contemplated under Vote 16 into one department, under an Accounting Officer. We accordingly commissioned a study by Messrs Hayter and Bauer Management Services to identify the requirements of a self-contained department consolidating all the services rendered to His Majesty the King. The consultants' report was table on November 3, 1999. Our Cabinet considered and approved its recommendations, with certain amendments.

Cabinet then assigned the responsibility for the final product to the Minister of Finance assisted by his Head of Department, Head of Department of Agriculture and officials from the office of the Premier. Cabinet subsequently adopted the report of the working group.

It was resolved that the support services to His Majesty the King be placed organisationally under the Director-General, who would act as the Accounting Officer for Vote 16. Provision has been made to allocate to His Majesty the King support staff at the correct levels with the required expertise, experience and qualifications. The control post for the support services to His Majesty the King has been set at the level of Chief Director. Provision has also been made for compliance with the Public Finance Management Act, which will come into operation on 1 April 2000. Thus the Chief Financial Officer will be appointed.

ROYAL FARMS

Cabinet proposed an efficient management approach to the royal farming operations. Needless to say, the farms cannot be divorced from the cultural background of the royal household. They are part of the traditional assets of the monarchy.

The essential principle, which is to be implemented in regard to the Royal Farms, is that the farms are borne by the State - no income accrues to the State.

The new arrangement effective 1 April but to be implemented as a process over a period of time is to be as follows:

1. All Government management and staff are to be withdrawn from the Royal Farms.

2. In the place of (1) above will be a grant-in-aid at an initial value of R1, 618 million to enable His Majesty the King to continue his farming operations to his own account. This amount will be used to staff the farms including appointment of a General Manager - Royal Farms, as well as to equip and resource the agricultural enterprises to be practised on the farms.

3. Staff withdrawn in terms of (1) above will be relocated or offered Voluntary Severance Packages in terms of Public Service Regulations.

4. The income generated by the farms will be for the account of His Majesty and will gradually replace the initial grant-in-aid.

5. Existing livestock on the farms is not part of Government Inventory and already belongs to His Majesty.

The KwaZulu Natal Government has budgeted for a grant-in-aid amounting to R1, 618 million. The purpose of this grant-in-aid is to support the farming operations. The effect of this grant-in-aid will be to effectively reduce the amount, which the government would have, in the normal course of events, paid to the King.

The grant-in-aid is intended to make it possible for His Majesty the King to maintain his farming projects. That being the case the proceeds will accrue to his Majesty the King and not to the provincial government.

Transport costs to His Majesty the King are borne by the Office of the Premier. All vehicles, which are allocated to His Majesty the King, shall on 01/04/2000 be transferred to the Royal Household Department. This means that any form of transport be it an air service or land service will be paid for out of programme 1 of vote 16.

The Expenditure for the Royal Household for the financial year 2000/2001 shall be as follows:

1. Support Services to His Majesty the King R5,165 million

2. Maintenance of Royal Household R8,576 million

3. His Majesty the King's farms R1,618 million

Programme 1: Support Services to His Majesty the King:

This programme provides the funds for conducting the overall management of the Royal House. There is only one sub-programme contained within this programme, namely:

(i) Management and auxiliary service: to organise, manage and provide auxiliary and associated services in respect of the Royal House

Programme 2: Maintenance of the Royal Household:

The purpose of this programme is to render support services in respect of the Royal Household. This programme consists of one sub-programme, namely:

(i) Support Services to His Majesty the King: the support service is in of maintenance, cleaning and municipal services for the Royal residences

Programme 3: His Majesty the King's farms:

The purpose of this programme is to fund the upkeep of the King's farms. This programme has only one sub-programme namely:

(i) His Majesty the King's farms:
* to provide support for the maintenance of the King's farms
* a grant-in-aid to the amount of R1, 618 million will be allocated to His Majesty the King during the financial year 2000/2001. The grant-in-aid in this context means financial assistance given to His Majesty the King to assist him to cover the operating costs of the farms.

Issued by the office of the Premier, KwaZulu-Natal