Durban - Prince Simakade Zulu, the first-born son of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini, has formally asked President Cyril Ramaphosa to halt any preparations for the pending coronation of Misuzulu KaZwelithini as the next King of the Zulu nation.
In a letter sent to the King’s law firm and the State Attorney in Durban late on Monday, the Prince said he intends to launch a court action to review and set aside the decision by Ramaphosa to recognize Misuzulu as King as the process of identifying him was procedurally and substantively flawed.
The prince’s letter was sent the same day the KwaZulu-Natal government cabinet team, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and the royal committee preparing the coronation met in Ulundi to look at possible dates and a venue for the eagerly awaited event.
Writing on behalf of the Prince, Hammann - Moosa Incorporated, a Limpopo- based law firm, said they had been instructed to bring a review application to set aside the decision of the President of the Republic of South Africa to declare Prince Misuzulu KaZwelithini Zulu as King of the Zulu Nation.
CORRECTED: Prince Simakade, the first-born son of King Goodwill Zwelithini has asked Pres Cyril Ramaphosa to halt the coronation of King Misuzulu. In a letter sent late yesterday, the Prince says he intends to launch a court action to review and set aside the recognition. @IOL
The law firm said its client asserts that he, and ”not Prince Misuzulu KaZelithini (sic) Zulu”, is the rightful heir to the late Isilo (King Goodwill Zwelithini) and that the process of identifying your client was procedurally and substantively flawed.
”Our client has requested the reasons for the declaration from the President, and our intention is to launch review proceedings shortly after receipt of such reasons. We have no intention of delaying or dragging the matter out, and are amenable to agreeing an expedited review hearing in order that clarity and certainty can be obtained in relation to this important issue. In the light of the foregoing, we request your client's consent and undertaking not to proceed with any inauguration arrangements pending the finalisation of the review proceedings,” they said.
They warned that if Ramaphosa did not accede to their request, they would bring a court application to interdict the coronation, which is likely to be held towards the end of May this year at Enyokeni palace near Nongoma in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
“Our instructions are to proceed with an interim interdict application, should it be necessary, but we trust that this will not be necessary and that our respective clients can avoid the costs and distraction associated with such application. We are willing to discuss the timetable for the review application further in order to attempt to accommodate your client as much as possible and to regulate the process going forward. Should your client not agree to the undertaking sought, and should it be necessary in due course to proceed with the application for an interim interdict, we will place this correspondence (and any response to it) before the court,” reads the letter which was seen by Independent Media.
Separately, Prince Mbonisi and Prince Vulindlela have an intention to announce Prince Buzabazi as another contender for the throne, bringing the number of royals vying for it to three.
sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za
Political Bureau