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Prince Simakade: Zulu royal family faction pronounces King Zwelithini’s eldest is King
The faction backing Prince Simakade said they are the only ones who can identify a Zulu king and that King Misuzulu was not their choice.
Prince Simakade Zulu, the eldest son of the late Zulu monarch, King Goodwill Zwelithini | Picture: Prince Lungalomndeni Zulu
A small group of members from the Zulu royal family have pronounced that the eldest son of late King Goodwill Zwelithini, Prince Simakade, is officially the new King.
The pronouncement came after Prince Simakade performed the ceremony of entering the kraal at the Enyokeni palace, a week before his brother King Misuzulu was expected to do so.
According to SABC News, entering the kraal is one of the key rituals following the death of an AmaZulu monarch and precedes the recognition of a successor.
Speaking to Eyewitness News (EWN) ahead of the ceremony, the faction said that they are the only ones who can identify a Zulu king and stated that King Misuzulu was not their choice.
As such, this faction of the Zulu royal family added that they did not recognise the duties that King Misuzulu had performed on their behalf thus far.
“He is Prince Misuzulu, even if we were to agree as the family – we are the ones who to say yes he is (king), and then we salute him with Bayede – if it is something or someone else no! He is still the prince,” Prince Mandlakapheli Zulu told EWN.
“He was speaking at Isandlwana on the 22nd of January, what qualifies him to do that? Because you have to enter the kraal, the family has to salute you with Bayede.”
King Misuzulu ascended to the throne after being nominated through his mother’s will and was later recognised by the president as the rightful heir.
The publication further reports that those supporting Prince Simakade said as far as they’re concerned, he’s now the King and have since written to President Cyril Ramaphosa in a bid to get him to officially recognise their choice of King.
Some members of the Zulu nation have taken objection to these events, citing the fact that the proper traditional rites were not performed for Prince Simakade.
READ NEXT: ‘Let court processes unfold,’ say Presidency and King Misuzulu
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