Zulu nation prime minister prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi has shunned President Cyril Ramaphosa for his defamatory remarks about Zulu people. Buthelezi said he was confused by the president’s statements, made during his weekend address to the nation. Ramaphosa classified the unrest in the country as ethnic mobilization.

Buthelezi said that if the riots were done by former president Jacob Zuma’s supporters, it was not true that the Zulu people were behind them.

There were growing accusations, including on social media, from some accusing Zulu people in hostels across Johannesburg, with the aid of a popular Ukhozi FM DJ, of destabilising the city.

The Jacob Zuma Foundation said it would approach the Human Rights Commission about the president’s inflammatory statements.

“I don’t understand what is meant by ethnic mobilization. It’s not about Zulu people against other people, even in the case where they mobilized support for our former president Zuma. Mr Ace Magashule is not a Zulu and the leaders of Mpumalanga (who) came down here were not necessarily Zulu. This has nothing to do with Zulus, so I don’t understand what is meant by ethnic mobilization in what is happening now,” Buthelezi said.

The former IFP leader said the Zulu king had informed him that the royal house would like to address the Zulu people following the recent events in the country.

“He said he would like to address the nation, specifically the Zulu people, because of what is going on in KZN. This is wrong to say that this comes from ethnic mobilization. Indeed, Mr Zuma is Zulu, but those that support him came from other provinces as well.”