KING Goodwill Zwelithini on Saturday used the annual Reed Dance ceremony to lash out against Ukhozi FM for not being proud of its Zulu identity.
He complained that the SABC’s decision in the 1990s to change the radio station’s name from Radio Zulu was a rejection of the station’s rich history.
“It was in 1964 when Zulus were introduced to FM radio. The station was given our name, but later on certain people emerged and gave it another name we do not even know,” he said.
The king said Ukhozi FM had let the Zulu people down by changing its name.
“They decided to change this radio station’s name without any consultation with me as the king of the Zulus, the owner of the Zulu language,” said Zwelithini.
He said he was still waiting for someone to come and explain to him what was wrong with the name Radio Zulu.
“I am still waiting for an explanation that will tell me what was wrong with the old station’s name and why they had to give it the name of a bird,” said the king.
Ukhozi means “eagle” in Zulu and the king said he was very sad about the name change because there were certain intentions behind it.
When Daily Sun contacted SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago, he said: “I actually don’t have a comment on that because the changing of names was a national thing.
“Other SABC radio stations had their names changed as well.
“It was not Ukhozi FM only and there was a process that was followed.
“The king should have raised his complaint with us if he was not happy about how the process worked out.”
