By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
High Court in Pretoria this morning heard that President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed King Misuzulu ka Zwelithini as King of the Zulu nation despite knowing the royal family would appeal a court judgment that ordered his kingship.
The Zulu king’s half-brother Prince Simakade Zulu wants the court to set aside Ramaphosa’s appointment of King Misuzulu.
In response to leading arguments, the legal representative for Prince Zulu, advocate Thabani Masuku, explained how Ramaphosa failed to lawfully confer the certificate of kingship to Misuzulu.
Masuku said the appeal of the high court findings will be heard by the Supreme Court of Appeal on November 13, where one of the matters to be challenged is the denied application for justice Isaac Madondo to recuse himself.
Madondo had ruled in March 2022 that Misuzulu was the “undisputed successor” after the passing of his father King Goodwill Zwelithini in March 2021. Ramaphosa had relied on this judgment to confer the kingship, the court heard.
However, the royal family had told Ramaphosa they intended to appeal the high court decision, yet he announced Misuzulu as the Zulu leader shortly thereafter.
Masuku argued Ramaphosa was acting irrationally by exercising “such weighty constitutional powers in the face of pending applications” which could affect the process of identifying the king.
Yesterday Ramaphosa made his submission to the court through his legal representative advocate Marumo Moerane and revealed that he followed due processes in recognising King Misuzulu as the heir to the Zulu throne.
Ramaphosa’s announcement came after feedback from the Zulu nation’s traditional prime minister, the late Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, who convened a royal family meeting on May 14 2021 to identify the next king.
Judge Davis said that he reserved judgment in the matter to have enough time to deliberate before passing his judgment. “I reserve judgement in the court case.
I will need time to go through all the submissions and presentations before I make a ruling,” he said, adding that no matter who comes up top in the matter, it is expected that the losing parties will take the matter to the Supreme Court of Appeal.
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Video Courtesy of SABC.