State must intervene in royal squabble
In the aftermath of the heightened tensions and new developments in the Amazulu royal house over the rightful heir to ascend the powerful throne of Amazulu king, the next few weeks will be crucial not only for the royal house but also for Kwazulu-natal and the country.
The announcement on Friday, during a will reading held after the memorial service of the late Amazulu Queen Regent Mantfombi Dlamini by advocate Madoda Griffiths Madonsela, acting on behalf of the late queen, that 47-year-old and Us-educated Prince Misuzulu kazwelithini was nominated to be the next Zulu monarch put to bed the speculation that was swirling over several weeks.
This newspaper has been consistent throughout this sorry saga by providing a blow-by-blow account on the developments in the Amazulu royal house since the news that King Zwelithini departed.
The announcement of Prince Misuzulu, the eldest son of the late queen Mantfombi, as the legitimate successor came hot on the heels of public backstabbing and an assassination plot, with some members of the royal family accused of holding clandestine meetings without the blessings of the late queen regent.
The royal cabal led by King Zwelithini’s sister Princess Thembi Zulu Ndlovu and his brother Prince Mbonisi Zulu was apparently hatching a plan to topple the late queen regent. The duo has, however, denied this assertion, saying they were acting in the best interests of the royal house and the Amazulu kingdom.
Apart from this, there were also reports that the late queen had been poisoned, something that is linked to an ongoing fight over the throne.
The drama that unfolded on Friday, when Prince Misuzulu’s name was announced as the next king, also brought to the fore the bad blood between the royal siblings and the deadly contestation that has been playing out behind the scenes.
Fearing for his life, the heavily armed bodyguards of the heir apparent had to use force and whisk him to a place of safety. Insiders in the royal house also told Sunday World that the eswatini royal house has since come on board to offer aide and protection to Prince Misuzulu because of the royal siblings baying for his blood and fears that he might be assassinated.
It will be very interesting to see what will happen in the next few weeks.
Will Prince Misuzulu be installed as the next king or will his ascendancy be blocked by royal rebels and the current court case, which is before the Pietermaritzburg High Court, where King Zwelithini’s first wife Queen Sibongile Dlamini – not related to the late queen – is calling for the postponement of the installation of the king on grounds of illegitimacy?
In the court papers, the queen is also demanding 50% of the late king’s estate and says she is the only legally recognised wife and, as such, the next king should come from her children in the royal palace of Kwakhethomthandayo.
This situation also calls for the government to immediately intervene to prevent the situation from degenerating, spiralling out of control and possibly turning into a bloodbath.