The Amahlubi nation is preparing for a gigantic court battle in a bid to be accorded the same status as that of AmaZulu king.
The nation, which is mainly dominant in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and Gauteng, also wants isiHlubi, its language, to be recognised as an official language.
Should the AmaHlubi be successful in their court move, it will mean KwaZulu-Natal will have a second king after MisuZulu KaZwelithini with aspirant monarch Muziwenkosi Johannes Radebe as the AmaHlubi king.
Radebe is also referred to as King Langalibalele II.
The AmaHlubi royal stronghold is located in eMahlutshini, in the eMtshezi valley in the foothills of the Drakensberg, within the uThukela district municipality, about 65km south of the rural town of Estcourt.
Strong case prepared
AmaHlubi king’s council spokesperson, Nkululeko Bakhothise Nxesi, said they had prepared a strong case to convince the court to restore its kingship.
“It’s been a long wait, and we can’t wait for the judge to rule in our favour,” said Nxesi told Sunday World on Monday.
“We have solid legal arguments that our kingship was stripped away by the colonial British government because of a vendetta against our King Langalibalele I.”
The case will convene at the Pretoria High Court on Friday.
The AmaHlubi matter emanates from what became known as the Nhlapo commission established by former president Thabo Mbeki to cleanse the institution of traditional leadership of illegitimate leaders.
The AmaHlubi want Nhlapo’s findings to be overturned.
The attorneys for AmaHlubi contend that the colonial government installed many of the kings, amakhosi (chiefs), and izinduna (headmen) in their homelands as a reward for their fidelity to the system while unfairly depriving those who were considered to be hostile to the colonial forces of their authority.
Kingship usurped in 1873
The clan, under Radebe’s leadership, had complained to the Commission on Traditional Leadership: Disputes and Claims that the British colonial government had usurped their kingship in 1873.
The British government passed a declaration to strip AmaHlubi King Langaliballe I of his powers, which eventually saw him being banished to Robben Island.
In its findings, the panel concluded that AmaHlubi had no independent kingship and that only seven monarchs existed in South Africa, recommending that others should forfeit their statuses upon the deaths of the incumbents.
Dr Zakhele Shamase, the University of Zululand academic, defined the court mater as an uphill battle for AmaHlubi.
“The matter is very complex because throughout history, AmaHlubi had regarded themselves as part of AmaZulu paying allegiance to Isilo [king of AmaZulu),” said Shamase.
Another Zulu history expert, Professor Jabulani Maphalala, said AmaHlubi have no basis to ask for their kingship to be restored.
Dissolved to form one kingdom
“Before Shaka conquered the various tribes, there were many chiefs, each ruling their own clan,” said Maphalala.
“They were subsequently dissolved to form one powerful kingdom under the command of Shaka.
“AmaHlubi even had a regiment known as iziyendane, which was incorporated into Shaka’s army.”
According to Maphalalala, the AmaHlubi had already lost their independence and seceded their territory to form the large nation known as AmaZulu by the time Dlomo, who is regarded as the legitimate heir to the AmaHlubi throne, was assassinated.
The AmaHlubi also want land under several tribal trusts in KwaZulu-Natal to be returned to them. This includes land under the Ingonyama Trust, whose sole trustee is AmaZulu king.
