Ramaphosa requests SCA to reverse high court ruling setting aside his recognition of Misuzulu as Zulu king

BLOEMFONTEIN - President Cyril Ramaphosa has requested the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) to order the Pretoria High Court to reverse a ruling which set aside his recognition of Misuzulu kaZwelithini as king of the Zulu nation.

In December 2023, the high court ruled that Ramaphosa was irrational to officially identify Misuzulu as king of the Zulu nation.

This after Zulu princes, Mbonisi and Simakadesamkhosi, approached the courts complaining that the process was conducted unfairly, citing that some members of the royal house were not consulted.

The president is now appealing the Pretoria High Court judgment, saying he followed all due process.

Ramaphosa said he had nothing to do with the process of identifying a king, however, he maintains that his decision to recognise then-Prince Misuzulu as king was informed by members of the royal house.

His lawyer, Advocate Morumo Moerane, told the five judges in the SCA that Misuzulu was nominated in a meeting of royal family members, which included the late Zulu traditional prime minister, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi.

He added that the recognition, therefore, was procedural with the royal family decision.

"We respectfully submit that the recognition decision of the president was lawful, rational and in full compliance with the act - there was no duty to initiate an investigation under Section 8 subsection 4, and the high court order setting aside, we submit, should be reserved."

Proceedings are continuing in the SCA, with opposing lawyers set to present their case.