OBITUARY: Longest reigning King of AmaZulu Zwelithini a ‘fountain of wisdom’ King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBekhuzulu died at the age of 72 after he had been in hospital for weeks for what was initially reported to be a problem with his blood glucose levels. FILE: Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini. Picture: GCIS 21 days ago DURBAN – King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekhuzulu Zulu made history as the longest-serving monarch of the Zulu kingdom with a reign spanning over five decades. Born on 14 July 1948 in Nongoma, northern KwaZulu-Natal, he’s the eldest son of King Cyprian Bhekuzulu and his second wife, Queen Thomo. Following his father’s passing in 1968, King Zwelithini - as he was often called - was appointed to the throne, he was just a 20-year-old student at the time.