Durban - The fight for the Zulu throne in KwaZulu-Natal took another turn on Thursday when Prince Mbonisi and others convened a press conference in Johannesburg to announce Prince Buzabazi as their preferred candidate for the throne.
Until then, the fight was primarily between Prince Simakade Zulu, the first-born son of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini, who was born out of wedlock and King Misuzulu Sinqobile kaZwelithini, who is already on the throne.
King Misuzulu is the first-born son of the late King and the great wife, Queen Mantfombi Shiyiwe Dlamini-Zulu, who came from the monarch of eSwatini, hence his claim to the throne.
However, late last year there was a parallel meeting at Thokazi royal lodge in Nongoma to discuss the issue of succession by members of the Zulu royal family who felt that Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the monarch’s traditional prime minister, was ramming through Misuzulu kaZwelithini as the successor of King Goodwill Zwelithini.
Video: African News Agency (ANA)
Primarily the meeting was meant to devise plans on how to support Simakade’s fight. But it ended in chaos when the name of Prince Buzabazi came up after some said Prince Simakade cannot claim the throne since he was born out of wedlock.
According to the minutes of that meeting which were leaked to IOL, extensively mined and reported on, a process of moving house to house to ask for them to bring forward candidates was started.
The minutes recorded that the team which was established first went to KwaKhethomthandayo royal house to ask for their candidate.
UPDATE: Meanwhile, as previously reported by IOL News, Prince Buzabazi Zulu, the third born son of Queen Buhle Mathe and the late King Goodwill Zwelithini has been named as the "clear heir" by the royal faction led by Prince Mbonisi. @IOL pic.twitter.com/BE53sm1PaW
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) August 18, 2022
“That house told the team that they have no candidate after the passing away of the only Prince there, Prince Lethukuthula Zulu (who was murdered in Johannesburg in September 2018).
“The committee then moved to the next house of KwaDlamahlahla and they got the name of Prince Buzabazi. From there the process ended because a candidate had been found,” read the minutes which were written in Zulu.
Prince Lethukuthula was the first-born son of King Goodwill Zwelithini and his first wife, Queen Sibongile Dlamini-Zulu (not related to Queen Mantfombi).
Prince Buzabazi is the third-born son of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini and Queen Buhle Mathe. In that house, the first-born is Prince Nhlanganiso Zulu who is followed by Prince Phumuzuzulu.
What gave Prince Buzabazi the edge over his brothers despite being the third-born was that he was always on the side of the King and it was believed that the late King shared some secrets with him – out of the clutter of royal protocols and glare.
The last prominent appearance of Prince Buzabazi with the late King Goodwill Zwelithini was when the King opened Onomo hotel in Durban in 2018.
Among the best-kept secrets Prince Buzabazi is believed to be keeping is who is the rightful Inkosi of the troubled Mbuyazi clan near Richards Bay. Their fight had spilled over and constantly affects mining giant Rio Tinto, which owns Richards Bay Minerals.
sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za
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