The Zulu King
Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu is the reigning king of the Zulu nation under the Traditional Leadership clause of South Africa’s republican constitution. He was installed as the eighth monarch of the Zulus at a traditional ceremony in 1971, attended by 20,000 people.
Agreement has been reached with the Zulu Monarch for the use of the name Royal Zulu. Utilising the name for the club has launched the brand into the mainstream South African public, particularly the Zulu Nation and supporters from KwaZulu Natal.
His Majesty honoured us with his presence at a home game against Santos during the 2007/2008 season. This was the first soccer game he had attended since 1996.
As a club in the PSL Thanda Royal Zulu FC realize the power we have to influence people and in being good role models to the members in our community. This is something that we cannot neglect.
Many of the problems close to us as a club such as HIV/Aids, alcohol and drug abuse are challenges that Thanda Royal Zulu FC has an established collaboration with the Star For Life project, a project that tries to stop the spreading of HIV/Aids by giving schoolchildren in Southern Africa confidence in the future. The programme is aimed at secondary-school pupils and lasts three years at each school. It started in 2005, and now include more than 60 schools with a total of more than 60,000 pupils. It is run on a completely non-profit basis, and has neither political nor religious connections.
Thanda Royal Zulu FC will donate at least 5% of its monetary sponsoring, give the project exposure, and provide the students the opportunity to interact with our players. In return the Star for Life project will assist us with teaching our players, both in the first team and our development teams about HIV/Aids and help them to fulfill their dreams.
www.starforlife.org
Thanda Private Game Reserve is a five-star safari facility in KwaZulu/Natal in eastern South Africa, where guests can experience exciting culture and see some of the world’s most impressive animals at close quarters, including lions, leopards, elephants, rhinoceroses and buffalo.
In 2006 it was named South Africa’s Best Safari Facility in the World Travel Awards. The year after, in favour of several thousand competitors, it was named the Leading Luxury Lodge in the whole of Africa in the same competition, which The Wall Street Journal has called
the travel industry’s equivalent of the film industry’s Academy Awards.
As the world’s only establishment of its kind, Thanda is also a member of Leading Hotels of the World.
www.thanda.com