Polokwane - The Vha Venda kingdom and the government have both said it will respect a court’s interdict which suspended the planned coronation for Vha Venda King Toni Mphephu Ramabulana.
The Limpopo High Court sitting in Thohoyandou granted Masindi Mphephu an interdict to stop the coronation pending the outcome of a legal challenge.
Masindi, the princess of the Mphephu royal family, dragged President Jacob Zuma and Ramabulana, her cousin, to court claiming that she is the rightful heir to the Vha Venda throne.
The high court accepted representations by Masindi’s legal team that the coronation must halted until a a pending legal review on the Mphephu dynasty status.
The court heard that Masindi believes that she was overlooked for the throne because of cultural practice that endorses only males for kingship.
“Government noted the decision of the High Court in Venda, Thohoyandou, on 02 September 2016. The court granted an interdict to the planned coronation of his majesty King Tony Mphephu Ramabulana that was scheduled to take place on Friday,” said the Department of Cooperative Governance in a statement.
“As government we respect the decision of the court as an arbiter on all the legal questions in our country and we will also abide by its decision.”
Government, in consultation with the Vha Venda royal family, then announced the postponement of the planned coronation until all the legal issues had been addressed and concluded.
Government, however, said a new date of the processes for the coronation of the Vhavenda King would be announced at a later stage.
The Mphephu royal family also said it respected the ruling by the court and would abide by it.
Family advisor and spokesman, Jackson Mafunzwaini, said the family welcomed the decision and insisted that Toni is the rightful leader of the Vha Venda.
Last month the government had announced the Mphephu coronation as part of the process aimed at restoring the kingdom which had collapsed under the apartheid government.
The dispute arose after the kingdom was endorsed by Zuma after the Nhlapo Commission that was tasked to investigate chieftaincy, queenship and kingship disputes, revealed that Mphephu is the correct family to ascend the throne.
African News Agency