A Zulu royal family side that is challenging King Misuzulu’s ascendency to the throne is beaming with confidence that Prince Simakade will eventually become the Zulu monarch.

In a media briefing on Saturday, the side’s spokesperson, prince Thokozani Zulu said their side was very much confident the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein will uphold Pretoria High Court’s judge Norman Davis ruling. The matter will be heard on the 28th and 29th of next month.

On December 11, 2023, Judge Davis set aside the recognition on the basis that President Cyril Ramaphosa was supposed to appoint an investigative committee to look at whether the king was appointed in terms of Zulu customs, however, the president appealed the decision.

Zulu said his side felt it should update the Zulu nation and the public since the court has set the date for the appeal.

“We are confident that the Supreme Court of Appeal will uphold the Pretoria High Court ruling. We are ready for the case. Our legal team are ready. It has been our position that the meeting that decided the appointment of the prince Misuzulu to be the king was not properly constituted," said Zulu.

Prince Simakade’s side and Prince Mbonisi approached the Pretoria High Court, challenging the king’s recognition, and the matter was heard in October 2023. Both sides wanted the process to appoint the king to be started afresh.

In his arguments last month, Advocate Marumo Moerane SC, who represented Ramaphosa, said the president issued the kingship certificate based on the judgment of KwaZulu-Natal deputy judge president Isaac Madondo in March 2022.

Madondo had found that Misuzulu was the “undisputed successor to the throne” at the Pietermaritzburg high court after several applications. One was by prince Mbonisi, who tried to interdict the coronation of Misuzulu, which Madondo denied.

Moerane also argued that Ramaphosa acted on the advice and permission of the Zulu prime minister, the late Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, who was at a family meeting on May 14 2021, where the identity of the new king was decided.

Prince Simakade believes that as the first born son of the late King Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu he was supposed to have succeeded him despite being born out of wedlock. Those who support him argued that even the late King Zwelithini was born out of wedlock but became a king. Prince Mbonisis is said to be vouching for Prince Buzabazi, another son of the late king from KwaMadlahlahla royal palace. Those at King Misuzulu’s corner say by virtue of his mother being royal as she is from the Eswatini royal family as well as that her lobola was paid by the Zulu nation, he is undisputed king,

willem.phungula@inl.co.za

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Supreme Court of Appeal to hear appeal on Zulu kingship next month