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Rest Easy Gatsha
Rest Easy Gatsha
Date: 2023-09-29
A dark sadness has enveloped our countrywith the passing of Prince Buthelezi on 9 September 2023. Prince MangosuthuGatsha Buthelezi died due to complications he developed while in hospital beingtreated for back pain. He was just a few days short of his 95th birthday.
Fiveyears ago, I met Prince Buthelezi in his official residence in uLundi. We spentthe day with him interviewing him for a documentary for Carte Blanche. Thedocumentary was supposed to be an exclusive granted to us by King GoodwillZwelithini. I worked with television producer, Jacqueline Jayamaha.
Onthat day in April 2018, we got real close to Prince Buthelezi, warm and fuzzyclose. And I liked him from the very first moment he appeared before us withhis entourage.
Ashe spoke he revealed his deep spirituality and humility. Prince Buthelezi was avery evolved uncle, who saw much structural and infrastructural damage that wasplaguing our country and somehow at the age of 90 he felt powerless to doanything about it.
Hisvoice of reason was sounding the alarm then and continued to do so until hislast breath. Unification was his number one concern. The unification of ANC andthe IFP (his beloved Inkatha Freedom Party) and of course the unification ofthe royal household.
PrinceButhelezi was a true nobleman, softly spoken and highly intelligent, he livedthrough some hard history, after all he was also a Royal Zulu warrior and wasprepared to fight to his last breathe protecting the heritage and the future ofthe Zulu nation.
Prince Buthelezi lived a richly fulfilling life; he was married to hiswife Irene for 67 years and chose to have just one wife in a linage ofpolygamists.
Prince Buthelezi's recipe for a happy marriage: "You can't go into a marriagethinking how happy the other person is going to make you. A successful marriageis one in which both spouses are trying to outdo one another in filling up thelove tank."
"You have to invest in your marriage constantly, understanding that itis your most important relationship. Invest today in the marriage you want tohave in 30 or 40 years' time.
"Deal with issues as they arise. You will be amazed at how God honoursmarriage, every time you refuse to give up, it just gets better."
Weoffer our thanks and praise to a true leader of our great nation. May he restin eternal peace.