SAPS denies withdrawing protection from Zulu royal palace
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has denied withdrawing protection from the Zulu royal palace in KwaZulu-Natal.
This follows reports that the police will no longer offer protection for the royal family following the chaos that ensued on Friday after the televised reading of the will when the new successor's brother, Prince Thokozani, stood up to voice an opinion.
"It is rather unfortunate that information, of such protection being withdrawn, was made public without the SAPS leadership being approached for verification," says national police spokesperson Vishnu Naidoo.
"The royal protection is informed by a threat assessment which is reviewed on an ongoing basis."
The KwaZulu-Natal government also dismissed the allegations, adding that the safety of the royal household remains intact.
Since the death of the late queen, who was Zwelithini's third wife and the sister of Eswatini's King Mswati III, various factions in the royal family have sought to put forward their candidates to claim the throne.