Supreme Court confirms Misuzulu's legitimacy as AmaZulu King

THE Zulu royal family has called on the ‘rebelling factions’ within the family to ‘return to the kraal’ and participate in the running of the kingdom led by King Misuzulu kaZwelithini, following his confirmation as the legitimate heir to the throne by the Supreme Court of Appeal.

- WILLEM PHUNGULA

The court overruled the Pretoria High Court’s 2023 judgment that had set aside Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini’s recognition as monarch by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Ramaphosa, on March 16, 2022 officially recognised Misuzulu’s ascension to the throne which, was followed by a certificate handover ceremony at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban that year. However, Zulu Princes Mbonisi and Simakade challenged Ramaphosa’s recognition of Misuzulu in the Pretoria High Court.

In December 2023, Judge Norman Davis ruled that the recognition was unlawful and ordered that the president should appoint a committee to investigate whether a meeting held on May 14, 2021, by the Zulu royal family correctly followed the customary law and Zulu customs when declaring Prince Misuzulu as the king in terms of Section 8 of the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act 3 of 2019.