East London - Prince Mbonisi KaBhekuzulu, a senior member of the Zulu royal family, has filed an urgent application with the Pretoria High Court where he wants to set aside the recognition and coronation of King Misuzulu KaZwelithini as the next King of the Zulu nation.
Prince Mbonisi is a brother of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini KaBhekuzulu.
Prince Mbonisi also wants the coronation committee to be disbanded and Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the son of Inkosi Mathole Buthelezi and Princess Magogo, who is also the monarch’s traditional prime minister, interdicted from threatening those opposed to the de facto King with violence and calling any royal meetings.
He claims that Buthelezi is an “outsider” who is imposing himself on Zulu royal family affairs to achieve the goals of his political party, the IFP.
Prince Mbonisi filed an urgent application asking the court to accede to his request to have the matter heard on July 26, 2022, three weeks before the mooted two-legged coronation of King Misuzulu on August 13.
The coronation is expected to take place in Nongoma and Durban.
Prince Mbonisi’s 78-page application was filed with the court’s registrar on Monday, just a day after the royal clique opposed to the disputed King held a rival traditional spiritual preservation (Ukukhushulwa KweSilo) ceremony at KwaKhethomthandayo palace in honour of the late Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, the father of King Misuzulu.
BREAKING NEWS: Prince Mbonisi Zulu has filed an application with the Pretoria high court to set aside the recognition and coronation of King Misuzulu as King of the Zulu nation. He also wants the coronation committee to be disbanded, Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi interdicted. @IOL
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) July 6, 2022
Prince Mbonisi’s application is supported by other 13 senior Zulu royal family members which include the likes of Prince Vulindlela, Prince Mathuba, Prince Mxolisi and Princess Lindiwe.
Recently, they produced a letter written in December 1994 by the late King and sent to former President Nelson Mandela informing him that they are core members of the royal household, nothing should be done without them.
“Pending the final determination of the aforementioned applications that the following orders be granted: declaring that Prince Misuzulu ka Zwelithini is not regarded as the lawfully appointed King of the Zulu Kingdom, that Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi be interdicted and restrained from threatening the applicants and members of the Zulu royal family who are opposed to the recognition of Prince Misuzulu ka Zwelithini, with violence,
“That the President (Cyril Ramaphosa), the minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs and the premier of KwaZulu-Natal provincial government are interdicted from authorising any expenditure or taking any decision in forms of section 23 of the traditional leadership act to offer any administrative and financial support to Prince Misuzulu is so far as the support is given on the basis that he is “Bayede” (King),” read the court application.
“Declaring the dceion of Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, alternately, Prince Misuzulu ka Zwelithini to establish the coronation committee for the purposes of coronating Prince Misuzulu ka Zwelithini as the lawful heir to the throne, to be unlawful and accordingly set aside. Reviewing and setting aside all the decisions of the coronation committee relating to the coronation of Prince Misuzulu ka Zwelithini as King of the Zulu Kingdom to be unlawful and accordingly set aside. Directing that the coronation of Prince Misuzulu Ka Zwelithini as the King of the Zulu Kingdom to be suspended sine die,” he says in the papers seen by IOL late on Wednesday.
Prince Mbonisi also wants the court to bar Prince Thulani Zulu from speaking as the spokesperson of the royal family.
“Interdicting the sixth respondent (Prince Thulani) from communicating with and to the public on any matter relating to the affairs of the Zulu royal family on the basis that he is the spokesperson for the King of the Zulu nation,” he says, further asking the court to impose costs orders on his opponents over the court application.
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