Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], September 11: Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama on Sunday condoled the demise of South African Apartheid-era politician and Zulu Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi at the age of 95.
"On hearing the sad news of the passing away of His Excellency, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi in South Africa, His Holiness the Dalai Lama offered his heartfelt condolences to his family members and his many well-wishers," the office of 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet said in an official release.
His Holiness wrote, “I have had the honour of meeting him several times. He was a good friend to me and also to the Tibetan people. He lived a meaningful life till the age of 95.
“We remain grateful for the late Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s interest in and steadfast support for the dignity and freedom of our Tibetan people,” the release read.
He concluded his message with prayers again for the late Zulu leader Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi.
After mending the hatchet with the ruling African National Congress (ANC) in 1994, the founder of the Inkatha Freedom Party, Mangosuthu Buthelezi spent two terms as minister of home affairs in the post-apartheid administration.
“I am deeply saddened to announce the passing of Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the Prince of KwaPhindangene, Traditional Prime Minister to the Zulu Monarch and Nation, and the Founder and President Emeritus of the Inkatha Freedom Party,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement, according to Al Jazeera.
Buthelezi was raised in a traditional environment and spent his childhood as a herdboy.
According to the Nelson Mandela Foundation, Buthelezi's life intertwined with Mandela's at several stages, and his impact was "imposing and complex."
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