The siblings of AmaZulu King Misuzulu KaZwelithini have publicly expressed their outrage over the audio clip that was leaked, in which the king was heard disparaging Princess Nomkhosi Zulu, one of his sisters, by making reference to their mother’s genitalia.
In a joint statement, Prince Bambindlovu, Prince Lungelo, Prince Mandlesizwe, Princess Ntandoyesizwe, Princess Nomkhosi, Princess Bukhosibemvelo, and Prince Simengaye criticised the king’s erratic behaviour.
The siblings said that the Zulu monarchy has a history founded on strength, dignity, and wisdom, emphasising that duty must always take precedence over pride or sentimentality and that leadership requires sacrifice.
They stressed that unity, not internal conflict, is necessary for the throne to survive and that when discord spreads within the royal family, it endangers not just individuals but also the monarchy’s foundation.
Upholding the queen’s values
“The clip in question has shown that there are bigger issues that we as siblings cannot ignore. It is our responsibility to make sure that the standard for leadership quality is raised above where parents left it,” reads the statement.
“We must assure the nation that Umdlokombane and Indlovukazi [the departed king and queen] bequeathed seedlings who shall never hesitate to defend their illustrious legacy formidably and without fear.
“Most importantly, our parents demonstrated and lived the value of mutual respect and unity at home.
The statement reads further: “The manner in which we speak, tone, and language has to be exemplary to the nation. Isilo [the king], Misuzulu kaZwelithini, Princess Ntandoyesizwe, Princess Nomkhosi, Princess Bukhosibemvelo, Prince Bambindlovu, Prince Lungelo, Prince Mandlesizwe, and Prince Simengaye, we all shared the same womb of a great woman whose legacy must be safeguarded and whose name must never be pronounced in vain.
“We come from a stock of conquerors, and [we] shall conquer GBV [gender-based violence] in our time, as we seek to protect the name of Indlovukazi and uphold her values and ubuntu [a quality that includes the essential human virtues of compassion and humanity].
“We wish to state that we’d never hesitate to protect our sister and any woman from harassment by any man, irrespective of his standing in the community.
“We are here to galvanise and charge up women to continue to stand up together and fight mercilessly against gender-based violence.”
Disagreement over inheritance
A disagreement over property left by their parents, King Goodwill Zwelithini and Queen Mantfombi Dlamini-Zulu, is said to have been the catalyst for the king’s outburst.
Queen Mantfombi Dlamini-Zulu left her children extremely wealthy after inheriting wealth from Tibiyo and Tisuka TakaNgwane, two Eswatini royal companies that provide significant financial support to King Sobhuza II’s children.
Queen Mantfombi Dlamini-Zulu left her children an equal share of her assets, which included millions held by the royalty-controlled Swazi Bank in Swaziland and another fortune held in properties in South African towns like Pongola and Durban, according to a will read aloud by advocate Griffiths Madoda Madonsela SC in May 2021.
The queen also owned investment policies with Old Mutual and Sanlam.
The late queen’s elderly son, King Misuzulu KaZwelithini, seems reluctant to follow her mother’s instructions as she lay dying in Johannesburg, which irritates her siblings who are struggling financially.
