Durban: As the battle for the Zulu throne rages on and the decisive court hearing approaches, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi has spoken out, expressing his dismay at the “Royal Rebels” - led by Princess Thembi Zulu-Ndlovu.
The Royal Rebels are refusing to recognise the kingship of Misuzulu KaZwelithini.
Addressing the media from KwaKhangelamankengane palace in Nongoma on Thursday, Buthelezi also frowned at the faction for asking the KZN Premier’s office to recognise and protect Prince Simakade Zulu as the rightful heir to the throne.
He added that since Judge Rishi Seegobin of the Pietermaritzburg High Court last month ruled that he, King Misuzulu and others should file their responding papers by June 30, they have met with their lawyers to give their statements.
Buthelezi said during their interviews with their legal team they had seen the affidavits of Princess Thembi and others. He said it worried him that they referred to Misuzulu as a prince instead of King.
“Through that process, we have sighted the contents of the supporting affidavits for this court action, including the affidavits of Princess Thembi and others submitted to the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal.
“In those affidavits, His Majesty King Misuzulu kaZwelithini is consistently referred to as “Prince Misuzulu”, and it is made quite clear that he is not considered to be King of the Zulu Nation.
“It is also averred that Prince Simakade Zulu is the rightful heir to the throne. The Premier is requested to provide the same level of security to Prince Simakade as is provided to His Majesty King Misuzulu,” Buthelezi said.
He also clarified that the reason they barred King Misuzulu from meeting with Princess Nombuso Zulu, one of the daughters of Queen Sibongile Dlamini who, together with her two daughters, Princess Ntandoyenkosi Zulu and Princess Ntombizosuthu Zulu-Duma are behind the court battle, was because it would have been a breach of the sub judice rule.
Before the fight for the throne, royal sources told Independent Media that King Misuzulu and Princess Nombuso had a good relationship.
“In light of this, and in light of the present litigation, His Majesty King Misuzulu was compelled to decline travelling to KwaKhethomtandayo Royal Palace yesterday to meet with Princess Nombuso, who is among those contesting his authority.
“As the matter is sub judice, the law prevents such meeting from taking place. I was therefore taken aback when I subsequently received a message on my phone from Princess Thembi accusing me of preventing His Majesty the King from meeting with his sister, Princess Nombuso.
“She implies that I am separating the two and questions my motive in doing so, as though I am the reason for the friction in the Royal Family. It is quite strange that Princess Thembi is unable to see that the public comments and the actions of the handful of people whom the media refer to as “the Royal Rebels” are themselves the cause of the tension in the Royal Family,” he said.
Buthelezi said it seemed as if battle lines in the royal family had been drawn despite working for peace and unity.
Princess Thembi is yet to respond to Buthelezi's accusations.
Meanwhile, King Misuzulu, through a representative during the press conference, told the Zulu nation that the King Dinuzulu prayer meeting, which was planned for the last weekend in June, has been shelved.
He said that was as a result of the Covid-19 regulations imposed by the government a few days ago.
The annual prayer meeting is held to remember King Dinuzulu’s prayer when civil war broke out between the Usuthu and Inkosi Zibhebhu’s Mandlakazi factions in 1888.
The prayer was to be held at KwaCeza mountain near Ulundi.
Political Bureau