‘The throne is not under threat’: Zulu royal faction defends King Misuzulu as court battle looms

A faction of the Zulu royal family backing King Misuzulu kaZwelithini’s ascension to the throne says it is not fazed by the upcoming court challenge to the state’s recognition of the monarch.

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s lawyers have approached the Supreme Court of Appeals in Bloemfontein in an attempt to overturn a ruling made by the Pretoria High Court.

In 2023, the court set aside the president’s decision to recognise King Misuzulu as a legally recognised king of the Zulu nation.

The court further ordered the president to institute a committee to investigate allegations of violation of customary laws in the identification of King Misuzulu.

In a statement on Sunday, King Misuzulu’s faction said the court hearing would have no impact on the throne, as he was installed in line with proper Zulu customs.

“There is no cause for alarm or speculation. The throne is not under threat. The king remains the rightful custodian of the Zulu nation, duly installed by both tradition and law.

“Even if the president were not to succeed in the matter before the court on the 29th in Bloemfontein, it would not advance anyone else’s claim to the throne. As a matter of fact, no one has directly challenged the incumbent after the decision had been taken in Pietermaritzburg,” said family spokesperson, Thulani Zulu.

Certificate of recognition controversy

On 29 October 2022, Ramaphosa officially presented King Misuzulu with a certificate of recognition at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.

This was King Misuzulu’s first official recognition as the king of the Zulu people in accordance with section 8(1) of the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act of 2019.

“It’s important to understand that the certificate handover does not affect the Ukungena Esibayeni ceremony, which is the traditional and only recognised method of installing a king in Zulu culture.

“The certificate represented recognition by the state — an administrative formality acknowledging that the Zulu nation had already installed its king.

“By accepting the certificate, we respected the democratic order that recognises, upholds and respects traditional leadership,” said Zulu.

Another court battle for the Zulu king

He said Misuzulu had successfully won most court battles concerning the throne.

“All court cases surrounding King Misuzulu kaZwelithini and the Zulu throne have been finalised, with His Majesty prevailing in every matter.

“The upcoming case is not about the throne, nor is it a challenge to His Majesty’s authority. It concerns whether the President followed proper consultative procedures before issuing the certificate of recognition,” he said.

The court case is set to take place over two days, from Tuesday, 28 May, to Wednesday, 29 May.

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What does Prince Simakade’s faction want?

Meanwhile, the faction supporting Prince Simakade kaZwelithini remains hopeful that the state will dethrone King Misuzulu and allow for a fresh customary process to determine what they consider to be the rightful heir to the throne.

They maintain that Prince Simakade, as the eldest son of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini, is the rightful heir to the throne.

However, their interpretation of Zulu customs has been challenged by the faction supporting King Misuzulu’s claim to the throne.

This faction believes that King Misuzulu is the son of a great queen, and it was inevitable that he would ultimately lead the Zulu nation.

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