Among the senior members spotted in court were brothers and cousins of King Misuzulu, including Prince Bambindlovu, Prince Simingaye, Prince Njabulo (a cousin) and sisters of the King, Princess Ntandoyesizwe and Princess Bukhosibemvelo.
IN anticipation of a legal victory, senior members of the Zulu royal family who are in support of de facto Zulu King, Misuzulu KaZwelithini, on Wednesday swarmed the Pietermaritzburg High Court to hear the court’s judgment regarding the estate and will of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini.
Most of the members of the family members came from royal houses such as KwaNobamba (in Babanango), Osuthu (in Nongoma), eGazini (in Ulundi), eYibindini (in Babanango) and Nkombabantu (in Mahlabathini).
Among the senior members spotted in court were brothers and cousins of King Misuzulu, including Prince Bambindlovu, Prince Simingaye, Prince Njabulo (a cousin) and sisters of the King, Princess Ntandoyesizwe and Princess Bukhosibemvelo.
Prince Thulani Zulu, who is a secretary to King Misuzulu, and Prince Chris Zulu, who has been on the side of the King since the dispute over the throne began, were also spotted in court. Joining them was Prince Mthokozisi Mahlobo, the right-hand man of King Misuzulu who is also his cousin on the basis that his mother, Princess Nozipho Zulu, is a sister to the late King Goodwill Zwelithini.
From the Kingdom of eSwatini, where the late mother of King Misuzulu, Queen Mantfombi Dlamini-Zulu came from, the monarch there sent Prince Sicelo Dlamini to represent them. Also spotted in court to show support to King Misuzulu was Richards Bay businessman Dr Themba Fakazi, who was an adviser to the late King Goodwill Zwelithini KaBhekuzulu, who died in March last year.
In the main, KwaZulu-Natal Deputy Judge President Isaac Madondo has to rule on two issues. He has to rule on an application by Queen Sibongile Dlamini-Zulu, the first wife of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini, for the court to grant her the right to inherit 50% of the King’s estate.
Dlamini-Zulu argued that this was on the basis that she married the late king in accordance with civil rites and he had no right to marry other wives after her. That was disputed by King Misuzulu’s lawyer, advocate Griffiths Madonsela SC, who told the court that under the apartheid system, such limitations did not apply to black people who lived in (the former) Bantustans.
On the second matter, Dlamini-Zulu’s daughters, Princess Ntandoyenkosi and Princess Ntombizosuthu Zulu-Duma, want the will of the late King to be set aside as they believe that some of the signatures on it were forged.
Despite being parties with interest on the matter, the Queen and her two daughters were not spotted in court. Instead, their legal team was expected to come and receive the judgment on their behalf.
On Tuesday, Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi told supporters of King Misuzulu and Zulu regiments not to gather in court to show their support, but there were signs on Wednesday that they would show up – a big stage with a public address system was pitched outside court in anticipation that someone senior from the family would address them after the ruling.
