AmaZulu King MisuZulu KaZwelithini’s girlfriend was receiving undue benefits from the state.
This is according to cultural experts, Professor Musa Xulu, Dr Nomagogu Ngobese and Professor Jabulani Maphalala.
On Sunday, January 19 2025, a letter, purporting to be from King Misuzulu to Dr Nonhlanhla Mkhize, the the Director General in the Office of the KwaZulu-Natal Premier, was circulated on social media.
Letter to Premier’s office terminates benefits
The letter, dated January 18 2005 reads as follows: “I write to formally instruct the immediate withdrawal of all benefits and security detail previously assigned to Ms. Nomzamo Myeni. Due to reasons beyond the control of the Royal House, the traditional wedding ceremonies involving Ms. Myeni have been called off. As a result, it has become necessary to terminate all associated arrangements.
“The following actions must be implemented without delay: 1. Withdrawal of Benefits. Effective immediately, any benefits, allowances, or privileges granted to Ms. Myeni must be ceased. 2. Security Detail: The security detail assigned to Ms. Myeni is to be withdrawn by no later than 11:00 AM on 19 January 2025. I trust that your office will facilitate the implementation of these directives promptly. And also ensure that all necessary measures are taken to finalise this matter. Please confirm in writing once these actions have been completed,” the letter continued.
‘She is just a girlfriend, not queen’
Speaking to Sunday World, Xulu said: “Nomzamo Myeni is not the Queen or the wife but just a private girlfriend. The fact that lobola was paid for her doesn’t mean she is a wife. Therefore we’re not shocked by the cancellation of the wedding. It must also be noted that, Queen Ntokozo KaMayisela-Zulu has a strong case and the King knows this. His civil marriage does not allow him to take another wife, so he has no case in law. The King was actually forced by circumstances to cancel the wedding.
“Even if he decides to marry MaMyeni by customary law, he still needs a written consent from Queen kaMayisela. Either way, the wedding will not happen until he divorces Queen KaMayisela. What is shocking is that the government was actually providing state resources to a girlfriend, MaMyeni. This is illegal and the political parties, auditor general and Scopa must follow up on that,” said Xulu.
King still legally married to first wife
Maphalala said: “The King is still legally married to KaMayisela and MaMyeni is just a girlfriend. Clearly, MaMyeni has been getting undue benefits from the state. We also need to remember that King MisuZulu is married civilly to kaMayisela. This… means he cannot take another wife without the KaMayisela’s permission. Otherwise he would be committing bigamy.”
Maphalala told Sunday World that the easiest way out for King MisuZulu was to distance himself from MaMyeni.
“The King had no choice but to cancel the wedding and strip her off the state benefits. This does not mean they’re not seeing each other anymore, but a control measure by the King. He had to quickly distance himself from the wedding so he appears innocent in the eyes of the law. Therefore, the interdict by Queen KaMayisela to stop the King’s wedding has automatically lost its weight. There’ll be no need to continue with the interdict because the wedding has been called off anyway,” said Maphalala.
Culture bars king from divorcing
Ngobese said that King MisuZulu cannot divorce Queen KaMayisela-Zulu. This is because that is not in line with the Zulu culture and customs.
“Culturally, a King can have as many wives as possible, but he cannot divorce them. Unlike in civil marriage, customary marriage does not have divorce. We have our way of resolving marital disputes, and divorce is not one of them,” said Ngobese.
Other media reports also quoted the king as saying the wedding is still on. However, it remains to be seen if Ms Myeni will eventually walk down the aisle next week as scheduled.
