The following is a list of chief positions Mangosuthu Buthelezi held in KwaZulu from its establishment in 1970 until its reintegration into South Africa in 1994:
| Tenure | Portrait | Incumbent | Affiliation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zulu Territorial Authority | ||||
| 9 June 1970 to 31 March 1972 |  | Mangosuthu Buthelezi , Chief Executive Officer[ citation needed ] | ||
| KwaZulu | ||||
| 1 April 1972 to 31 January 1977 [ citation needed ] | | Mangosuthu Buthelezi , Chief Executive Councillor | IFP (since 1975) | 1 April 1972: Establishment as a Homeland with a Legislative Assembly under the new name KwaZulu 21 March 1975: Founding of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) |
| KwaZulu (Self-Rule) | ||||
| 1 February 1977[ citation needed ] to 26 April 1994 | | Mangosuthu Buthelezi , Chief Minister | IFP | Later served as the Minister of Home Affairs of South Africa, from 1994 to 2004 |
| 27 April 1994 | KwaZulu reintegrated into South Africa | |||