The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government has dismissed reports that police VIP protection to the Zulu royal family has been withdrawn.

On Saturday night, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi released a statement in which he said members of the SAPS VIP protection unit had been instructed to withdraw from Kwakhangelamankengane royal palace in Nongoma.

This was just a day after King Misuzulu Zulu  was announced as the successor of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini after the reading of the late regent Queen Mantfombi Dlamini Zulu’s will.

But KwaZulu-Natal premier Sihle Zikalala said he has spoken to the provincial commissioner, Gen Mkhwanazi, relevant MECs in the province and police minister Bheki Cele.

“Following these engagement, we hereby reject these allegations as baseless and misleading. All royal palaces are under the protection of the SA Police Service and this will continue. The royal protection services is in place as we speak

“In fact, there has even been re-enforcement of security at all the palaces with the Tactical Response Unit. There will never be any effort to weaken security at the royal palaces of his majesty the king,” Zikalala said.

The past few days have been tough for the Zulu monarch. On Friday, a memorial service of Queen Mantfombi was held in Nongoma after her internment. But the day ended in dramatic fashion after the reading of the will of the queen. In the will, Queen Mantfombi announced the new monarch as the successor of King Goodwill Zwelithini, who died on March 12.

After King Misuzulu was announced, another of King Goodwill Zwelithini’s son Prince Thokozani Zulu tried to question the process followed in appointing the successor.

Tensions were so high that King Misuzulu was whisked out of the venue at Kwakhangelamankengane royal palace. He was, however, spotted back at the palace yesterday.

Buthelezi later told journalists that the royal family has since united behind King Misuzulu.