MUT pays tribute to Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi
Durban — One of the sons of the late Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi revealed at his father’s second memorial service that was organised by the institution he founded that Sir Harry Oppenheimer of Anglo-American is making his way to South Africa for Buthelezi’s burial on Saturday.
Prince Ntuthukoyezwe Zuzifa Buthelezi was delivering a keynote address at the memorial service by Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) in honour of its founder.
The prince told the mourners, at the packed Dr Pixley ka Seme Hall at MUT, that he got confirmation on his way to the memorial service that Oppenheimer was coming to his father’s funeral.
“For the past week, we have received so much love and messages of condolences for the passing of my father.
“We would love to express our sincere gratitude for this immense love you have shown to our family. Indeed our father was a giant, something we did not recognise fully as we lived in close proximity to him,” said Prince Zuzifa.
Anglo American continues even today to support MUT with student bursaries. He said that he had to drop everything when he got an invite to this memorial as he made a promise to his father to attend to all his obligations at MUT.
Prince Zuzifa received an art piece of his father that was etched by one of the MUT students, Sbongakonke Ntombela.
Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Marcus Ramogale delivered a eulogy in the form of a lecture about Buthelezi.
“The community of Mangosuthu University of Technology is in grief. To his family, friends, MUT staff, MUT students and alumni, we say Uwile umuthi omkhulu, a big tree has fallen. The gigantic tree that Prince Mangosuthu was spread its roots across South Africa and the entire African continent,” said Ramogale.
Ramogale said Buthelezi had established MUT in 1979 with just 15 students, knowing as a visionary person that this small institution would grow into a large educational organisation that would have the greatest impact on the poor and the marginalised.
“Today MUT has over 14 000 students and has produced more than 42 000 alumni who are employed across the world as industry and business leaders, as CEOs and as technical specialists in wide-ranging careers,” he said.
Ramogale also thanked Buthelezi “for closing many prison doors for young people when he founded the institution”.
He revealed that MUT was planning a special project to keep Buthelezi’s legacy alive.
“I’m yet to meet with the university’s executive management to properly discuss this project,” he said.
The memorial service was attended by students and staff of MUT, several Members of Parliament within the Inkatha Freedom Party, mayors of different IFP-led municipalities and the Anglican Church Women’s Guild and Pastors.
IFP deputy president, Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi, endorsed Buthelezi for all his hard work in making the IFP the political party it is today.
“These days I have been very emotional and avoiding addressing a big crowd like this. I am just glad that before he passed on, he requested to be taken back to KwaPhindangene and he headed back to Mahlabathini where he was born where he finally departed peacefully,” said Inkosi Buthelezi.
He said the passing of Buthelezi was an end of an era but he was comforted by his teachings that death was not the end as he was a man of deep faith.
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