Cape Town – The Pretoria high court is currently considering whether to overturn President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recognition of Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini following a request from the royal family for a review of the decision.
The recognition of King Misuzulu has caused a division within the royal family, with Prince Simakade Zulu claiming his entitlement to the throne and King Misuzulu’s uncle, Prince Mbonisi Zulu, suggesting that the family should reconvene to identify an heir, Times Live reported.
Prince Mandlakapheli Zulu expressed his endorsement for Prince Simakade, asserting that the royal household had made prior arrangements to crown the half-brother as the reigning monarch, the report said.
“At this point in time … the person the royal houses ushered to the throne is King Simakade. Prince Misuzulu — the family never recognised him as the king. We did everything cultural that had to be done. The family has the right, not the president or the government or whoever, to recognise their king,” the report quoted him as saying.
The controversy stems from a meeting held in May 2021, convened by the late Prime Minister to the amaZulu nation, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, which determined Prince Misuzulu as the heir.
WATCH: Amabutho sing outside the Pretoria High Court in support of King Misuzulu kaZwelithini. The court is hearing arguments challenging the appointment of Misuzulu as the rightful king of the AmaZulu nation. Details on @POWER987News. pic.twitter.com/P0uMxVABpi
— Bafana Nzimande (@nzimandebafana) October 17, 2023
However, some members of the royal family argue that Buthelezi’s role in this process was not legitimate and that the president should not have relied on this decision.
Advocate Alan Dodson, who served as the legal representative for Prince Simakade, stated that the prince had been officially acknowledged as the rightful successor by the royal family, despite the “unlawful” process initiated by Buthelezi.
This initial recognition occurred during a royal family gathering convened at the Kwakhethomthandayo Royal Palace on May 5, 2021, at the behest of Senior AmaZulu Princess Thembi. The second instance of recognition took place during another royal family meeting held at the Kwanongoma Glorious Function Hall on May 23, 2021, also organized by Princess Thembi.
“Astonishingly, the president in his answering affidavit, states that he was not even aware of the meeting of May 5 2021. This admission is fatal to the president’s recognition decision. The May 5 2021 identification of Prince Simakade by the royal family is clearly a relevant factor which ought to have been taken into account by the president in deciding whether or not to recognise [Prince Misuzulu KaZwelithini] as [the king],” Dodson argued, according to the report.
The court is currently hearing arguments from both sides, and the judgment is pending.
King Misuzulu, for his part, seems relaxed about the situation, expressing more concern for the applicants who are challenging his recognition.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
