The AmaZulu royal house battle for the throne is not yet over.
On Thursday, the brother of the late AmaZulu king Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuZulu, Prince Mbonisi Zulu, made an urgent application at the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg. He wants the court to freeze all financial benefits of disputed King MisuZulu kaZwelithini.
According to Prince Mbonisi, because there was an ongoing dispute over who was the rightful heir to the AmaZulu throne, MisuZulu’s salary and all benefits should be frozen pending the finalisation of the kingship matter.
Besides millions allocated by the KwaZulu-Natal government to the king’s upkeep, he also receives a monthly salary equivalent to that of a chief director in the public service.
Wants him stripped of the chairmanship of Ingonyama Trust
Prince Mbonisi, a strong critic of the king, also wants him stripped of the chairmanship of the Ingonyama Trust.
The government-funded entity managing millions on its purse came into effect on the eve of the 1994 elections. It controls vast amounts of land, mainly under the various traditional authorities in KZN.
The royal house collects mine royalties and also leases land to different entities, including government departments.
Over the years, the entity had a board chairperson managing its daily affairs. However, early this year the king removed Thanduyise Mzimela. The latter is an inkosi of the Mzimela clan covering the areas of Mthunzini, Obanjeni and other surrounding villages.
He subsequently appointed himself as board chairperson, a first since the inception of the entity. Retired judge Jerome Ngwenya had always been the board chairperson until MisuZulu put an end to his long reign.
“The issue of the kingship is an ongoing litigation matter. This renders the benefits that he is receiving from the government unlawful,” Prince Mbonisi explained.
Since the passing of King Zwelithini during the height of Covid-19 in 2021, there has been no peace in the AmaZulu royal household. Several princes emerged as appointed heirs to the throne. Among them is Zwelithini’s firstborn son, Prince Simakade.
More woes on the throne
Prince Simakade put up a spirited legal fight, arguing for the recognition of his brother by President Cyril Ramaphosa. He wanted the court to nullify MisuZulu’s recognition on the basis that he had erred. Also that the royal protocol pertaining to the appointment of an heir was not followed.
In December, he scored a massive victory when the Pretoria High Court ruled that the move was unlawful and invalid. The court directed that the president should establish a committee to investigate the manner in which the king was appointed. This put the throne in disarray.
