Prince Mazwi Zulu, who was shot on Monday in an attack on a car carrying him and his mother near Ulundi on Monday died in Durban’s St Augustine’s hospital just before 3pm on Tuesday.
This was confirmed by Mike Gumede, a representative for the family. Gumede said that the 37-year-old prince, who was connnected to a life support system, died without being disconnected from themachine.
He was shot in the head in Monday’s attack and he was alredy brain dead.
The prince’s parents, provincial social welfare MEC Prince Gideon Zulu and his mother Princess Madlamini ”Dolly” Zulu, were at the hospital when he died.
Gumede said Prince Zulu’s funeral would take place on Sunday at the KwaZiphethe royal residence near Nongoma.
The family and their driver were travelling near Ulundi shortly after 11am on Monday when their car came under fire from gunmen and went off the road.
Prince Mazwi and the driver, identified so far only as a Mr Mdlalose, were wounded by gunfire and Princess Zulu was injured when the car left the road.
Earlier on Tuesday, police said they were investigating the possibility that an abandoned grey Hyundai found in Mhlahlane near Ulundi could have been used in the attack.
Captain Vusi Mbatha said that police are treating the car ”as only suspect” because the task team established to investigate the incident had not yet confirmed the vehicle was used in the attack.
Shortly after the attack on Monday, the Inkatha Freedom Party’s media representative Musa Zondi issued a statement describing the attack as an attempt to assassinate Prince Zulu Snr, who is a senior member of the IFP.
The IFP’s national leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi later dismissed Zondi’s statement and said the attack was carried out by robbers without political motives.
The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal condemned Zondi’s statement as ”scandalous and inciting” and called Buthelezi’s later comments ”very politically matured”. – Sapa