Zulu royals to meet with king’s lawyers over his will
ALMOST a week after King Goodwill Zwelithini was laid to rest, the Zulu nation waits anxiously to know who his successor will be. That question could be answered from tomorrow when the contents of the king’s will are read out to a few Zulu royals.
On Sunday, Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the traditional prime minister of the late king and the Zulu nation, said royals had met on Saturday and resolved that the king’s will would be discussed during a meeting with his lawyers.
There is widespread expectation that the king’s will contains the name of his successor, or at least how his successor should be chosen and who should act in the position.
“In order to keep the nation abreast of matters related to the succession of the Zulu monarch, the royal family has requested that I relate the following:
“A meeting of senior members of the royal family was held at KwaKhethomthandayo Palace on Saturday where various matters were discussed, including matters related to His Majesty’s will. It was decided that a meeting will be held on Wednesday (tomorrow) morning with His Majesty’s lawyers.
“This is where the matter stands at present. Further updates will be provided after Wednesday’s meeting,” Buthelezi said in a statement.
While some have claimed that Queen Mantfombi will be the acting regent, no official confirmation of this has been forthcoming.
Zulu royal spokesperson Prince Thulani said a statement would be issued tomorrow. “Please wait for Wednesday,” he said.
The king passed away on March 12 and was laid to rest in a secret grave on Wednesday night last week. The sacred traditional Zulu burial was attended by only a few select men.
While expectations are that the next king will be one of the sons of the late king and Queen Mantfombi, a royal insider told Independent Media yesterday that this was not a given.
The insider said while in other Nguni monarchies a successor comes from the house of the senior wife, who usually comes from another monarchy, in the Zulu monarchy this is a rarely the norm. “In the past, shortly after King Shaka was assassinated, a king would be someone who was able to overpower others during a royal power struggle. It was always an open race among princes regardless of their birth status within the royal house.
“When the chaotic period of wars was over and there was peace in the royal house, even a prince whose mother was a commoner would ascend to the throne. In the current case, the race for the throne is a tricky one as any of the king’s sons can take over,” the insider said.