The king of South Africa’s large Zulu community has challenged one of his critics to a stick fight, saying he had been insulted, along with the entire Zulu nation.

King Misuzulu kaZwelithini issued the challenge to Prof Musa Xulu in front of thousands of people who had gathered at his newly built royal palace for the annual Reed Dance.

“We are angry and we will do anything to protect and preserve our cultures,” he said, according to the Timeslive news site.

Prof Xulu has stood by his statements and warned that the king’s comments have put him at risk, the local IOL site reports.

The BBC has contacted him for further comment.

Stick fighting is a type of martial art long practised by the Zulu people.

King Misuzulu did not specify exactly what Prof Xulu had said to anger him but he was quoted as saying: “It pains me to see another man telling me how to do my job.”

“It is okay if he is against me, but when he insults me, he insults the Zulu nation as well,” he said, in what was reportedly an unusually short speech on one of the major events in the traditional Zulu calendar.

“If his friends are here, go and tell him that there is a fighting ring – if he wants a stick fight because I can take him up,” the king said.

King Misuzulu was crowned in 2022, after a year-long feud following the death of his father, long-time King Goodwill Zwelithini, and then his mother shortly afterwards.

Two of his brothers challenged Misuzulu’s claim to the throne but he has been recognised by both the Zulu royal household and the South African state.

The throne has no formal political power, but about a fifth of South Africa’s 64 million people are Zulu and its monarchy remains hugely influential with a yearly taxpayer-funded budget of more than $4.9m (£3.5m).

The Zulu kingdom has a proud history. It is world-famous for defeating British troops during the 1879 battle of Isandlwana.