By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
KwaZulu-Natal High Court Judge Isaac Madondo has ordered that the coronation of Prince Misuzulu KaZwelithini, the Zulu king in waiting, can go ahead.
The ruling came after Zulu princesses Ntandoyenkosi Zulu and Ntombizosuthu Zulu-Duma applied for an interdict to stop the coronation process of Prince Misuzulu. They claimed that the will of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini, who died in March last year, was forged.
Madondo said that although the princesses sought to halt the coronation process, they had not disputed that members of the royal family had elected Prince Misuzulu as Zulu king.
The princesses have, however, successfully suspended the execution of Zwelithini’s will, pending a trial that will ascertain its validity.
The interdict will last 15 days before it lapses.
Two experts testified about the will, but their views were conflicting.
The court also dismissed Queen Windred Dlamini-Zulu’s application to have 50% of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini’s will set aside for herself.
The queen wanted to claim half of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini’s estate as they were married in a civil marriage.
Last month, the queen lost the bid to have the king’s other marriages declared invalid.
Madondo told the court that it was not clear on what type of estate the queen based her 50% claim on.
He dismissed the application with costs: “The order made in this regard is that the application is dismissed with costs. Such costs will include the employment of senior counsel.”
Madondo said there was presently no dispute about the will, and he could therefore not make an order on the matter.
At the same time, their uncle, Prince Mbonisi Zulu, has filed papers to halt what was alleged to be a secret coronation of the nominated King Misuzulu kaZwelithini last year.
Madondo dismissed Prince Mboniso’s application, saying he failed to convince the court how he would be negatively affected if Prince Misuzulu was crowned.The judge further said Prince Mboniso was not part of the AmaZulu royal family meeting, chaired Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi as the prime minister of the AmaZulu nation, where Prince Misizulu’s name was proposed and nominated as the next AmaZulu king.
The judge said since Prince Mboniso did not partake in that meeting, he can therefore not dispute the outcome of the meeting, including the nomination processes.
Inside court, members of the Zulu royal family and courtiers came in their numbers, led by Prince Thulani Zulu, who is the spokesperson for the pro-Prince Misuzulu faction of the AmaZulu royal family, Prince Misuzulu’s younger brother Bambindlovu.
Prince Mboniso said they are happy with the verdict, saying that nothing will stand in the way of the coronation of Prince Misuzulu as the next king.
“We have been saying all along that these applications, these court actions, were frivolous and meant at holding the whole AmaZulu nation to ransom. Now we will go ahead and crown the legitimate king, King Misuzulu.”
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