Mangosuthu Buthelezi, a prominent Zulu nationalist leader who was in charge during South Africa’s most tumultuous period leading up to the first multiracial elections in 1994, has passed away at the age of 95, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Saturday.
“I am deeply saddened to announce the passing of Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi … Traditional Prime Minister to the Zulu Monarch and Nation, and the Founder and President Emeritus of the Inkatha Freedom Party.” Ramaphosa said in a statement.
Buthelezi held the position of hereditary chief among the Zulus, the largest ethnic group in South Africa. Additionally, he served as the prime minister of KwaZulu, the homeland of the Zulu people, and was the founder of the Inkatha Freedom Party, a significant Zulu political and cultural movement.
“Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi has been an outstanding leader in the political and cultural life of our nation, including the ebbs and flows of our liberation struggle, the transition which secured our freedom in 1994 and our democratic dispensation,” Mr. Ramaphosa said.
