PRETORIA – Prince Mbonisi Zulu, a senior member of the Zulu royal household, has asked the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) to reject President Cyril Ramaphosa’s attempt to overturn a ruling that nullified his recognition of King Misuzulu kaZwelithini.
On Thursday, the SCA heard submissions in Ramaphosa’s bid to challenge a 2023 Gauteng High Court ruling that declared his official recognition of King Misuzulu as unlawful.
Prince Mbonisi, through his legal representative Advocate Menzi Simelane, argued that the matter of succession should be sent back to the Zulu royal family to properly restart the identification process. He said key royal family members, including Prince Mbonisi and his siblings, were sidelined in the process that led to Misuzulu’s ascension.
Simelane told the court that customary Zulu practices were not followed and that proper rituals within the late King Goodwill Zwelithini’s household were ignored. He stressed that the traditional leadership within the king’s immediate family, including his wives and children, should have played a central role.
According to Simelane, the May 2021 royal family meeting—on which Misuzulu’s recognition was based—was irregular and lacked the proper authority. He argued that the process should have followed internal family structures before being presented as a broader national decision.
“The matter should be referred to the appropriate place, which is the Zulu royal family, to do what they ordinarily would have done,” said Simelane, urging the court to dismiss Ramaphosa’s appeal with costs.
The president officially recognised King Misuzulu during a high-profile event at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban in October 2022. This followed the passing of both King Zwelithini and Queen Regent Mantfombi Dlamini in 2021.
However, King Misuzulu’s half-brother, Prince Simakade Zulu, disputed the legitimacy of the king’s appointment, saying the May 2021 meeting was convened under false pretences and did not follow Zulu customs.
Advocate Thabani Masuku, representing members of the Zulu royal family including princesses, also argued against the president’s appeal. He questioned whether Ramaphosa had properly verified that the May 2021 meeting included duly recognised royal family members. Masuku said a valid identification process was required before the president could lawfully issue a certificate of recognition.
Judgement in the matter has been reserved.
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