By Celani Sikhakhane
The North Gauteng High Court has set aside President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recognition of Prince Misuzulu KaZwelithini as the King of the Zulu nation.
The court said its ruling does not mean Prince Misuzulu is not the rightful heir to the throne.
But it is understood to be in favour of Prince Simakade Jackson KaZwelithini, who challenged the processes that were followed to nominate his half-brother as future king of the Zulus.
“It is declared that the recognition by the first respondent of the second respondent as Isilo of the Zulu nation was unlawful and invalid,” the judgment read.
At the heart of Prince Simakade’s argument was a meeting of various houses of the Zulu royal family held on 14 May 2021 to appoint the heir.
The meeting is enshrined in Zulu custom going back many years, and some members of the family with uncontested credentials to participate in the meeting were excluded from it.
The judgment stated that when Ramaphosa recognised Prince Misuzulu, he failed to follow the Traditional Leadership and KhoiSan Act of 2019.
The application was supported by 23 members of the royal family.
Those 23 applicants want the process of appointing the king to be started afresh.
They claim that the late Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi denied them their right to propose the name of Prince Simakade.
The president went ahead and recognised Prince Misuzulu despite loud protests from these senior members of the family.
King Misuzulu was officially recognised last October at a certificate handover ceremony at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
He was appointed through the will that was left by his late mother, Queen Regent Mantfombi Dlamini Zulu.
The court ruled that Ramaphosa must pay the cost of the two senior counsels who represented Prince Simakade.
The court has instructed Ramaphosa to appoint a committee to investigate the claims of the aggrieved family members.
King Misuzulu would not be the first monarch to be dethroned by the courts, if that is the outcome of the investigation. King Mphephu Ramabulana of the Vhenda kingdom was dethroned in 2021 by the Constitutional Court.
Pictured above: King Misuzulu was officially recognised at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban
Source: X
