The Zulu royal throne is on shaky ground after the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria found that President Cyril Ramaphosa failed to follow due process to recognise Misuzulu KaZwelithini as King. The Royal family is hurt by the battle between Prince Simakade Zulu and his brother. It approve our previous conclusions that Battle for the throne of Zulu King is likely to continue amid Misulu’s coronation.
The Zulu royal house is in disarray again after the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria found that President Cyril Ramaphosa failed to follow due process in his recognition of Misuzulu KaZwelithini as King. The case has garnered significant attention, both for its legal implications and its potential impact on the Zulu monarchy, as South Africa watches closely for developments in this ongoing dispute.
The recognition of King Misuzulu caused a split in the royal family, with Misuzulu’s half-brother Prince Simakade Zulu claiming he is entitled to the throne, while the king’s uncle, Prince Mbonisi Zulu, believes the family should reconvene to identify an heir.
Judge Norman Davis delivered a judgment in the case that was brought to court by Misuzulu’s brother, Prince Simakade Jackson Zulu and the late King Zwelithini’s half-brother, Mbonisi Zulu, as they challenged the process followed to identify and appoint Misuzulu as the heir to the throne. Prince Mbonisi’s argument was that a meeting on May 14 2021, convened by the late prime minister to the amaZulu nation Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, had not determined the rightful heir and Buthelezi had acted prematurely by deciding Misuzulu would be king. This was also confirmed by Prince Mandlakapheli, who said Buthelezi should have acted according to the instructions of the royal family, which he claimed to have done.
The judge ordered Ramaphosa to act in accordance with the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act to appoint an investigative committee. Its purpose would be to probe and report back on the allegations that the identification process of Misuzulu was not done in terms of customary laws and customs. The applicants brought two review applications and the court was required to determine those. The first was whether the incumbent king, Misuzulu kaZwelithini Zulu, has been appointed as king in terms of Zulu custom and the second was whether the president had correctly recognised the present king in terms of the … act,
Succession of the Zulu throne saw a bitter family feud over which overshadowed Misuzulu’s crowning ceremony. Misuzulu’s father, King Goodwill Zwelithini, died in March 2021 after a 50-year reign, leaving six wives and at least 28 children. The dispute of over the throne in 2021 saw several members of the Zulu royal family vie for leadership.
Judge Norman Davis delivered a judgment in the case that was brought to court by Misuzulu’s brother, Prince Simakade Jackson Zulu and the late King Zwelithini’s half-brother, Mbonisi Zulu, as they challenged the process followed to identify and appoint Misuzulu as the heir to the throne. In his judgment, Davis criticised Ramaphosa for failing to comply with the Traditional and Khoisan Act, which deals with transitional arrangements.
According to South African law, which recognizes and affords some rights and responsibilities to traditional leadership, Ramaphosa was supposed to launch an investigation as soon as he was aware of objections against the recognition of the new king.
Ramaphosa allegedly ignored objections and concerns within the royal family, leading to criticism from the court. The ongoing dispute affects the Zulu nation, with significant stakes in land, budget, and leadership.
The conflict arose due to inadequate scrutiny before Misuzulu’s appointment, causing anxiety and divisions within the Zulu community.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has been ordered to appoint an investigating committee comprising experts on Zulu royal matters to determine the rightful heir to the throne after he was found to have prematurely recognised King Misuzulu kaZwelithini.
King Misuzulu was crowned king in a ceremony held at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium in October 2022 attended by statesmen and women, kings and queens, amabutho (warriors), Zulu maidens and thousands of people, wherein Ramaphosa handed King Misuzulu a certificate of recognition.
The court found that Ramaphosa had acted hastily in recognising Misuzulu without ensuring all protocols of identifying and selecting the king had been followed.
The Zulu royal house is estimated to control about 30% of the land in South Africa’s eastern KwaZulu-Natal province through the Ingonyama Trust.
It also receives an annual budget of more than $4 million from the provincial government for the upkeep of the royal households and cultural activities.
According to the latest national census, isiZulu is the most spoken language in South Africa with 24.4% of households speaking it. The Zulu Monarchy is not a political institution but more a ceremonial monarchy that serves as a trustee to Zulu culture and tradition, the country’s largest ethnic group.
