The Local Ordinary of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Durban in KwaZulu Natal has offered the Church’s condolences on the death of the founder and President Emeritus of Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP).

In the message of condolences addressed to the “Buthelezi family, the Zulu nation, the IFP, and the entire nation,” Archbishop Siegfried Mandla Jwara described Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi who died on September 9, at the age of 95, as “an active church leader in the Anglican Church” and as a “principled man.”

“Personally, I will always remember him for two things. One, he loved God, and he was an active church leader in the Anglican Church. Two, he was a very principled man, he would always refer to his political opponent as my leader, my president. For me, this was a sign of humility at its best,” said Archbishop Jwara.

Archbishop Jwara went on to say, “This is a good lesson for us in the church and in the society at large. That even if you may differ with your opponent,” one should “respect the person for the office that he or she holds.”

In a separate message of condolences on the death of the AmaZulu Prime Minister, the spokesperson of the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC) Cardinal-elect Stephen Brislin of Cape Town Archdiocese called on the people of God to continue to “work for peace, reconciliation and healing in the province and in the nation.”

Ahead of his Special Official Funeral, Category 1, which has been declared by President Cyril Ramaphosa, to take place on Saturday, the IFP on Wednesday, September 13 held a memorial service for Prince Buthelezi, in Ulundi in northern KwaZulu-Natal.