Queen Regent Mantfombi buried amid tension fears
THE late Zulu nation’s Queen Regent, Mantfombi Dlamini-Zulu, was yesterday brought to the KwaKhangela palace for the last time before she was buried at the crack of dawn today.
The 65-year-old was buried according to the Swati royal culture of wrapping one in a cow’s hide, and as per her wish, she did not go to the Zulu royal graveyard of Makhosini, near Ulundi.
Yesterday, a high-powered delegation comprising Zulu and Swati royals made a long trek to fetch her body from the Hillbrow mortuary in Johannesburg.
After performing royal rituals at the mortuary, her body was taken aboard a convoy.
The convoy became a centre of attraction in the city centre of Johannesburg, as three Zulu regiments of women, maidens and men escorted it out of the city.
Thereafter the convoy made a sixhour journey to KwaKhangela palace.
In preparation for the arrival of the queen’s body, another batch of regiments waited outside the palace.
In full traditional gear, they solemnly sang traditional mourning songs in accordance with the passing of the daughter of King Sobhuza of Eswatini, and sister to King Mswati.
Among those singing in the crowd was a praise singer who kept heaping praise on the late queen, saying her role in the royal court would be cherished forever.
“Go well, Mlangeni (Dlamini’s praise names), you gave the Zulu nation and monarch dignity, you played a role in reviving some of our cultures. You fought a good fight, your role in the palace will be cherished forever,” the praise singer repeatedly exclaimed.
A few minutes before 6pm, the convoy from Johannesburg emerged from the direction of the river near the palace, and solemn singing gained momentum.
As the late queen had played a role in reviving the female regiment, they took over the role of escorting the body into the palace.
In a solemn procession led by the women’s regiment called Isiphithiphithi, the queen’s body arrived at the last gate within the palace, and where the Zulu nation’s traditional prime minister, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, waited for her.
Buthelezi was with senior royal family and some of the queen’s children, who included Prince Bambindlovu.
With them was a white goat which was used to perform rituals to welcome her home.
“Your royal highness, welcome to your palace ... As you go, we wish you well and safe passage,” Buthelezi said.
After that, only close royal family members were allowed into the palace.
At around 2am, the queen was laid to rest in a private ceremony attended by family members from both the Zulu and Swati monarchies.
With the burial now done and dusted, the attention is on tomorrow’s memorial service on the lawns of the palace.
There are fears that immediately after it, the royal court would be served with court papers from King Goodwill Zwelithini’s first wife, Queen Sibongile Dlamini (not related to the late queen), who wants to halt the process of distributing the late king’s estate, and the appointment of a regent.
Dlamini is arguing that as the first wife, who married the king in 1969 through civil rites and in community of property, she should get 50% of the estate.
Supporting her in the legal battle are her two daughters (Princess Ntando and Princess Ntombizosuthu) who, separately, want the king’s will to be set aside as they claim it has been altered and some of the signatures are dubious.
In one of the public spats on Monday, Princess Thembi Zulu-Ndlovu told Buthelezi that his time as prime minister had ended with the passing of King Cyprian Bhekuzulu in September 1968.
Hitting back yesterday, and escalating the tensions, Buthelezi accused the princess of lying since she told the Nhlapho Commission that he is still in the position.
“What Princess Thembi is doing is shameful, because we were with her during the Nhlapho Commission, chaired by Professor Nhlapho, who was looking at issues of traditional leadership.”