The KwaZulu-Natal Office of the Premier has noted with contempt, what appears to be a deliberate misrepresentation of facts about the legal fees of his Majesty King Misuzulu ka Zwelithini.
At the outset, the Office of the Premier refutes any claims that the Provincial Government reneged on an agreement or any arrangement whatsoever, to pay the legal fees of His Majesty.
Here are the irrefutable facts:
a) On 16 October 2023, the Office of the Premier received correspondence and various Tax Invoices from the attorneys representing His Majesty, King Misuzulu for fees and costs incurred in a variety of litigation and other matters His Majesty is involved in;
b) On 3 January 2024 His Majesty’s attorneys addressed a Letter of Demand to the Office of the Premier, for what they termed a failure to pay outstanding legal fees, notwithstanding their non-compliance with the provisions of the Legal Practice Act, 2014;
c) As a responsible government that practices prudent financial controls and spending of public funds, the Office of the Premier scrutinised the invoices accordingly, which at face value, appeared to be substantially above generally accepted attorney-and-client costs;
d) On 16 January 2024, the State Law Advisor addressed correspondence to the attorneys representing His Majesty, expressly stating that the Provincial Government is unable to consider payment of any invoices for services rendered, unless the services allegedly rendered are described in detail, with the appropriate detailed documentation in support of any disbursements that are being claimed;
e) The correspondence explicitly stated that the invoices, that were attached to the so-called Letter of Demand, provided no specificity whatsoever, and the attorneys were requested to submit detailed and comprehensive invoices specifying the various dates on which services were allegedly rendered, the nature of the service, the specific matter that the services related to, detailed fee notes of all Counsel fees, as well as supporting documentation for any other disbursements claimed.
f) The Office of the Premier was clear that upon receipt of the detailed invoices, the said invoices would be further scrutinised to ensure that they complied with standards set by the Legal Practices Council, whereafter the invoices would be submitted to the Accounting Officer for consideration of payment.
We wish to state for the record that His Majesty’s Attorneys have to date failed, or opted not, to provide the State Law Advisor with detailed invoices for further scrutiny, as required by law.
It is therefore regrettable that an assumption has been created that the Office of the Premier is withholding, refusing, or reneging on Government’s undertaking to cover His Majesty’s legal fees.
The Office of the Premier refers the citizens of KwaZulu-Natal and the entire country to the State of the Province Address (SOPA) 2024, wherein Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube painstakingly explained Government’s commitment to the wellbeing of the Royal Household and the institution of traditional leadership in the Province.
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Issued by the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government For more information contact Head of Provincial Government Communication Bongi Gwala on 072 793 4757 / Acting Media Liaison Joseph Cubai on 060 534 4187
Issued by KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
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