The budget for the royal household department, which looks after King Goodwill Zwelithini and his family, has increased by R4 million over last year's R55 million

Presenting the department’s budget on Tuesday, premier Zweli Mkhize said R1.8 million of the new R59 million budget would not be available for spending because of unauthorised expenditure in the previous financial year.  

Support services for the king, such as maintaining his cars, buying clothes for his queens, and paying his children’s school fees and his own monthly allowance will cost R35,278 million, less than the R39,489 million budgeted last year.  

The department gets R20,484 million to refurbish and renovate the king's palaces, while R3,6 million was made available to maintain his farms.

Mkhize said the king did much to promote SA both locally and internationally. He hosted dignitaries such as the Prince of Wales and, said Mkhize, his “visionary leadership” included reviving cultural festivals and calling for male circumcision, to lessen the transmission of HIV/Aids.

Source: The Witness

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