Ramaphosa's legal team maintains Misuzulu's identification as Zulu king in line with customary law
The president is challenging a Pretoria High Court ruling which found that his recognition of the King Misuzulu was unlawful and invalid.
President Cyril Ramaphosa meets His Majesty Misuzulu KaZwelithini ahead of the 110th commemoration of King Dinuzulu at KwaNkomonye Royal Palace in KwaZulu Natal on 16 March 2024. Picture: GCIS
BLOEMFONTEIN - President Cyril Ramaphosa’s legal team has maintained that the identification of King Misuzulu as Zulu king was in line with Zulu customary law.
The president is challenging a Pretoria High Court ruling which found that his recognition of King Misuzulu was unlawful and invalid.
King Misuzulu’s uncle, Prince Mbonisi and his brother, Prince Simakade, approached the high court claiming that the identification of the king was not done properly.
They said that some members of the royal family were not consulted on the matter.
But the president’s lawyer, Advocate Morumo Moerane, said this had already been tested in court.
"We submit that the identification of His Majesty King Misuzulu took place on the 14th of May 2021. This identification was a subject of full litigation because Justice Madondo in the KwaZulu-Natal division - Pietermaritzburg."
He added that the court ruling confirmed that the identification process was fair.
"Judge Madondo found that the identification complied with Zulu customary law and that judgment of Madondo A J P was never appealed nor set aside."
[WATCH] Members of the Zulu royal family from both factions arriving at the Supreme Court of Appeal where president @CyrilRamaphosa is going to challenge the Pretoria High Court decision which set aside his official recognition of King Misuzulu as Zulu monarch. @_NMabaso pic.twitter.com/7KpVPWOuSd
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) May 28, 2025