Prince Mbonisi Zulu disputes title of King Misuzulu's mother as 'great wife' of royal family

BLOEMFONTEIN - Zulu King Misuzulu's uncle, Prince Mbonisi Zulu, is disputing the title of King Misuzulu's mother as the "great wife" of the royal family.

The prince is a respondent in the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) matter, where President Cyril Ramaphosa is seeking to overturn a high court ruling invalidating his recognition of King Misuzulu as the king of the Zulu nation.

On Thursday, Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi argued that the king was identified as the new monarch in terms of customary processes.

He said the king’s mother, the late Queen Shiyiwe Mantfombi Zulu, held the title of the "great wife".

However, the king's uncle, through his lawyers, questioned the great wife’s position.

The status of King Misuzulu's mother, Queen Mantfombi Dlamini-Zulu, featured in the first part of court proceedings on Thursday, as lawyers argued about whether the king was identified properly.

The "great" title comes with the fact that her bridal price was issued by the Zulu people, as she was a princess from the kingdom of Eswatini.

This also meant that she would later give birth to an heir to the throne.

However, the late King Goodwill Zwelethini's brother, Prince Mbonisi, disputed this in court.

His lawyer, Menzi Simelane, said: "And all the ceremonies that relate to the funeral of the late king took place at KwaKhethomthandayo Palace. You know why? That is where the first wife resides, Queen Winifred Sibongile Dlamini - the main wife - and everything took place there in recognition that she is the first wife and the most senior wife for that reason."

He maintained that the "great wife" position holds no ground.

"There is no great wife."

Proceedings are set to continue with more submissions to the SCA’s five judges. 

ALSO READ: Zulu regiments call on opposing factions to unite under King Misuzulu to achieve stability