At the weekend, King Misuzulu announced he had appointed former Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) Youth Brigade leader and mayor of the Zululand District Municipality, Thulasizwe Buthelezi, as the prime minister of the Zulu nation. He named Inkosi Phathisizwe Chiliza, a prominent traditional leader and former head of the KwaZulu-Natal House of Traditional Leaders, as his deputy. 

The position of prime minister was held by IFP founder Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi (unrelated to Thulasizwe Buthelezi), who died in September. The position holds considerable influence, particularly in KZN, as the prime minister advises the king and serves as a link between the government, the king and traditional leaders.

Proceedings during King Misuzulu Zulu’s coronation at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on 29 October 2022. (Photo: Phumlani Thabethe)

Zulu royal family members opposed to Misuzulu’s elevation to the throne said they would go to the Pietermaritzburg High Court to challenge the latest appointments, citing the ongoing court disputes over the coronation as one of the reasons for their objection.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Battle for Zulu throne reignited as King Misuzulu kaZwelithini’s recognition ruled unlawful

The debate of who is the legitimate king of the AmaZulu nation has been raging since the death of the previous king, Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu, who had reigned from 1968 until his death on 12 March 2021.

Leave to appeal

On 25 January, Judge Norman Davis issued an order granting President Cyril Ramaphosa leave to appeal in the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) against the 11 December ruling in which he ordered Misuzulu’s recognition to be declared unlawful and invalid. 

Prince Simakade Zulu had hauled Misuzulu and Ramaphosa to the Gauteng Division of the High Court in Pretoria, arguing that the processes that led to Misuzulu’s crowning neither followed the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act nor Zulu custom.

He said Ramaphosa’s recognition of Misuzulu should be declared null and void and the process to nominate and crown the Zulu king must be started afresh.

In his December ruling, Judge Davis ruled in favour of Simakade and found that Ramaphosa had acted hastily in recognising Misuzulu without ensuring that all protocols of identifying and selecting the king had been followed.

In that ruling, Ramaphosa was ordered to appoint a team of experts on traditional issues to help select the new king.

In his ruling last week, Judge Davis not only allowed Ramaphosa to appeal in the SCA, but also granted leave to cross-appeal against his order to the late Zwelithini’s brother, Prince Mbonisi, and his son, Simakade.

In the interim, Misuzulu is still technically the king and has continued to fulfil his role and receive government funding.

Read more in Daily Maverick: The royal battle over Zulu kingdom succession takes a new legal twist

At the weekend, Misuzulu presided over the commemoration of the Battle of Isandlwana, which was fought on 22 January 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom.

The battle was part of the Anglo-Zulu War, which lasted from January to July 1879. The Zulu army, led by King Cetshwayo kaMpande, scored a decisive victory against the mighty British army, which had to ask for re-armament and replenishment before finally defeating and subjugating the Zulu army in successive battles.

Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini. (Photo: Rajesh Jantilal / AFP)

Misuzulu is also expected to preside over the opening of the KZN legislature in February. In public, Misuzulu has declared that he will remain the Zulu king until his death, despite the challenges of “those who are going to court”.

‘Waste of taxpayers’ money’

Prince Thokozani Zulu, Simakade’s official spokesperson, told Daily Maverick they would challenge the prime minister and deputy prime minister appointments in their quest to remove Misuzulu from the throne.

He said Judge Davis’s decision to grant leave to appeal further vindicated their case.

“[Simakade] feels vindicated by the latest order by Judge Davis who granted him [leave] to cross-appeal his order. That, in itself, amounts to a victory not only for the Zulu royal family and the Zulu nation but to all other kingdoms in the Republic of South Africa who are suffering from the President’s partisanship in similar matters.

“Once again, the judgment demonstrates that the President has no case. He is simply abusing taxpayers’ money at a time when such resources could be placed in a pool to alleviate a plethora of challenges afflicting the people of South Africa, especially the poor and the downtrodden,” Thokozani said.

He added: “Once again, the judgment unveils the shroud that veils the President’s motivation in doing all this, being electioneering for the ANC and what people allege is a tactic to buy time in order for him and Prince Misuzulu to conclude business deals, abusing the divisions, chaos and instability that he is fuelling through appealing.”

Daily Maverick was unable to reach the Presidency for comment by the time of publication.

Thokozani said any decision or action taken by the new prime minister and his deputy ran the risk of being declared null and void if the courts found Misuzulu’s recognition was invalid.

King welcomes appeal

Prince Africa Zulu, Misuzulu’s spokesperson, said the Zulu prime minister’s appointment would pass any legal muster or scrutiny. 

He said: “The monarch of the Zulu nation extends heartfelt congratulations to His Excellency President Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa, President of the Republic, on the momentous achievement of obtaining leave to appeal against the orders of the High Court dated 11 December 2023.

“His Majesty commends the unwavering commitment and dedication displayed by President Ramaphosa in pursuit of justice and the rule of law. Also commendable is the diligence and legal prowess that His Excellency demonstrated in securing this significant milestone in the pursuit of a fair and just legal process.

“This accomplishment augurs well with the resilience and robustness of the Republic’s legal system. It reflects the unwavering commitment to upholding the principles of justice and ensuring that every citizen is afforded a fair and impartial hearing.

“The royal crown and the entire Zulu nation are wholeheartedly behind this process and shall remain steadfast in prayer that our country’s Supreme Court of Appeal will adjudicate with the utmost diligence, ensuring a fair and impartial examination of the matter at hand. Long live justice, democracy, and the unity of the Zulu nation.” DM