Pretoria - The legal challenge involving the Modjadji Royal Council’s decision to nominate the heir apparent’s brother to rule over the Balobedu nation was postponed in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria yesterday.
In May last year the royal council announced Prince Lekukela Modjadji as heir to the throne following a lengthy squabble.
Princess Masalanabo Modjadji was widely expected to be Balobedu’s next rain queen when she turned 18 in a year’s time.
She was tipped to take over as Queen Modjadji VII once she reached the constitutionally required age to rule. She is the only daughter of Queen Makobo Modjadji VI, who died in June 2005, at the age of 27.
During the court proceedings, Prince Lekukela, the older brother of Princess Masalanabo, applied to be added as a respondent.
Princess Masalanabo’s lawyers and the royal council’s representatives agreed that the case be postponed as Prince Lekukela was cited in both parties’ court papers.
The complainants are represented by Struggle veteran and former ANC treasurer Mathews Phosa and the respondents by lawyer Bethuel Monakisi.
The court gave Prince Lekukela five days to file an affidavit to be part of the main case. The matter will resume in 30 days.
A source who was part of the proceedings said there was also a request put forward by the complainants that the case be moved to the Polokwane High Court.
“The reason put forward there (court) is that in Polokwane the case might find a judge who would understand all the dynamics of the Balobedu monarch.”
In 2019, the Modjadji Royal Family accused Mathole Motshekga, the queendom’s legal adviser at the time who raised Princess Masalanabo after her mother died, of turning her against them in a bid to “hijack” the throne.
Motshekga at the time rejected the claims, saying they were baseless and made by a royal council “faction” that sought to cling to power.
The announcement by the royal council received mixed reactions. Some said the appointment of Prince Lekukela would bring to an end South Africa’s only female monarchy, while others said they welcomed his appointment.
Princess Masalanabo was widely expected to be the seventh rain queen over the past two centuries.
Phosa is arguing that the announcement to install Prince Lekukela as king flew in the face of all historical, cultural and traditional facts, which constituted a clear deviation from culture, tradition and customs.
President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2018 confirmed the recognition of the Balobedu Royal Nation under the queen-elect Masalanabo Modjadji VII.
The Balobedu nation has been in existence for over 400 years and is renowned for its rain-making powers.
Pretoria News