AmaZulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini held a closed-door meeting with Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson and KwaZulu-Natal MEC Martin Meyer at his royal palace in Nongoma on November 3, 2025. The discussions focused on infrastructure development, the Expanded Public Works Programme, and reforms to enhance service delivery. Officials aimed to brief the king on plans for job creation and addressing issues like illegal occupations of government buildings.
On November 3, 2025, AmaZulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini met with government officials at the KwaKhangelamankengane Royal Palace in Nongoma, KwaZulu-Natal. The closed-door session included Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson, KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Public Works Martin Meyer, and heads of department entities. The meeting was described as a courtesy visit to showcase rural development initiatives.
Ahead of the discussions, MEC Meyer spoke to the media about a recent departmental audit that identified several government buildings illegally occupied in rural areas, including Ulundi. "He says he plans to discuss the issue with the King," Meyer stated, highlighting the need to address these encroachments.
Minister Macpherson arrived at the palace and shared on social media: "I have arrived at His Majesty, King Misuzulu kaZwelithini’s KwaKhangelamankengane Royal Palace in Nongoma for a courtesy visit. I am accompanied by some of our heads of entities to showcase to His Majesty the work of the department with regards to rural development."
In a prepared statement, the minister outlined the agenda: “The minister will present the Department’s and its entities’ plan for infrastructure delivery in KwaZulu-Natal to his majesty including ongoing construction and maintenance projects, job creation through Expanded Public Work Program (EPWP) and the implementation of the infrastructure reforms like the upcoming Social Facilitation Framework (SFF) to improve delivery performance in the province.”
The visit was announced on October 31, 2025, by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, emphasizing collaboration on provincial infrastructure and service improvements. This engagement underscores efforts to involve traditional leadership in governance matters affecting rural communities.