Zulu throne: Court gives greenlight for Prince Misuzulu’s coronation

The Pietermaritzburg High Court on Wednesday gave the greenlight for the coronation of Prince Misuzulu kaZwelithini as the new king of the Zulu nation.

Prince Misuzulu’s coronation

Judge Isaac Madondo dismissed with costs an application lodged by late Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini’s brother, Prince Mbonisi Zulu, to stop the coronation from going ahead, after ruling that Prince Misuzulu was the “undisputed successor to the throne”.

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However, the judge granted the interdict to halt the execution of Zwelithini’s will pending a trial court determining the authenticity of the signatures on the will.

Judge Madondo ordered the applicants, Zulu princesses Ntandoyenkosi Zulu and Zulu-Duma from the AmaZulu Royal House, to launch a court challenge within 15 days or else his ruling would lapse.

“There are divergent handwriting expert findings and conclusions by experts. One expert states that the signatures are a forgery and the other expert states that the signatures in question were those of the late Isilo [king],” he said.

King Zwelithini’s estate

An application lodged by Zwelithini’s first wife, Queen Sibongile Dlamini-Zulu, last year to claim 50% of the king’s estate was dismissed with costs.

“Therefore the order made in this regard is that the application is dismissed with costs, such costs will include costs consequent upon to the employment of senior council,” Judge Madondo ordered.

The Queen Dlamini-Zulu was seeking to have the late King’s marriages to his five other wives be declared invalid and illegal, and the remaining royal assets to be split among the five wives.

Judge Madondo ruled that Dlamini-Zulu’s application was premature as the executor of the will had not concluded King Zwelithini’s estate.

Dlamini-Zulu is also challenging King Misuzulu as the late King’s successor in a separate court application.

Queen Mantfombi Dlamini Zulu, the late King’s third wife, was appointed regent of the Zulu nation following her husband’s passing in March last year at age 72 after 50 years on the throne. 

King Misuzulu is the eldest son of Queen Regent Mantfombi Dlamini Zulu, and King Goodwill Zwelithini. The pair died within weeks of each other.

Buthelezi welcomes court ruling

Meanwhile, the Zulu traditional prime minister, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, said Wednesday’s court ruling on Prince Misuzulu’s coronation brought “tremendous relief” to the Zulu nation.

In a statement, Buthelezi said he was grateful Judge Madondo had laid to rest any argument that the king was not properly identified by the royal family as the rightful heir to the throne.

He said the high court made it very clear that Prince Misuzulu was indeed the undisputed successor to his father.

“We trust that this will open the way for his majesty our king to finally be coronated, as this is a legal formality. As Justice Madondo has confirmed, the king is already the de facto king of the Zulu nation, as I have always insisted,” Buthelezi said.

He added: “I personally feel gratified that we may now see the stability that our nation has so longed for since the departure of his majesty our late king almost a year ago.

“This has been a painful time for the royal family and for the nation. We look forward to restored unity under the reign of his majesty our king.”

Buthelezi appealed to the nation to pray for Prince Misuzulu because he was taking over a great responsibility.

“The matters of the late king’s estate and will shall be dealt with in accordance with today’s judgment. We wish to thank the Deputy Judge President, Justice Madondo, for his wisdom, fairness and great care in judging this matter.”

Compiled by Thapelo Lekabe. Additional reporting by Narissa Subramoney

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