Free State premier criticised over King Misuzulu's gala dinner

Public outcry forces Letsoha-Mathae to cancel the event

- By Bongani Mdakane

Free State Premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae faces a storm after her office announced that she was going to host a gala dinner to honour King Misuzulu kaZwelithini of the AmaZulu.

Letsoha-Mathae's office announced on Tuesday that the premier was going to invite the king to dinner, which was going to be funded by taxpayers in the province.

The premier had caught wind that King Misuzulu was going to attend the Supreme Court of Appeal hearing on Wednesday where his ascension to the throne was being challenged by his half-brother Prince Smakade.

Insiders from the premier's office who spoke to Sunday World revealed that the gala dinner did not take place and that it had been organised in a hurry by the premier and her team.

The gala dinner was announced through posters by the premier's office on the provincial Facebook page with the words: "Premier's courtesy gala dinner in honour of his majesty, King Misuzulu KaZwelithini."

The event was supposed to have taken place on Thursday night at Letsoha-Mathae's official residence, Free State House, in Bloemfontein.

However, the premier immediately canned the scheduled gathering after a public outcry.