Mbabane: Prince Guduza is leading the Eswatini Royal Family delegation that joined the Zulu Royal Family delegation, going to fetch the late Queen Regent Mantfombi Dlamini-Zulu from Johannesburg.
The two royal families’ delegation left Kwakhangel’emankengane Palace on Tuesday afternoon, heading to Johannesburg to fetch the late Queen’s body in preparations for her burial, which will be held at dawn on Thursday, in line with her wishes.
Prince Guduza who was interviewed by eNCA reporter during the mid-day news, said as the Eswatini royal family, they were deeply saddened by the passing away of their sister. The Prince said the King of Eswatini His Majesty King Mswati III, the Queen Mother Indlovukazi and the entire Swati nation were deeply saddened by the passing on of the Queen Regent, whom they were hoping to have her to nurture the successor of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini- Kabhekuzulu.
Prince Guduza is a brother to the late Queen Regent Mantfombi Dlamini as they were born by Eswatini late King Sobhuza II. He held the position of the Speaker in the House of Assembly during the 9th Parliament.
Advocate Mshololo, who was the late Queen’s legal representative and lawyer was also noted to be among the delegation as she was seen on the eNCA screen making sure all logistics were in place. One of the late King’s son by the name of Prince Masikwamahle was also noted to be among the delegation.
Queen Regent Mantfombi Dlamini-Zulu passed away in Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg last week, at the age of 65, just a month after she took over from her late husband, King Goodwill Zwelithini.
…….., Buthelezi also disclosed during the interview with SABC news that the Queen spent most of her time in Eswatini after falling ill.
“When she left she was ill and rumours were that she was poisoned. Other things are too…I’m not going to get into them. Any condition of anyone is she was not a public figure I would say it quite wrong to ask me because any illness of any person is actually the prerogative of that person. But I have told you that she has been ill all the time because there were rumours when she went to Milpark Hospital and later to Eswatini that she was poisoned, and then I’m not prepared to elaborate on that because that is the position,” Prince Buthelezi was quoted as saying by the SABC.
The Queen married the late AmaZulu King Goodwill Zwelithini in 1977. Acting Ludzidzini Indvuna, Lusendvo Fakudze, confirmed that they heard about the sad passing of the Queen and also the rumours that she had been poisoned.
On March 24, Times Live reported that Queen Mantfombi was named a Queen Regent of AmaZulu. Times Live further stated that Buthelezi made the announcement after a marathon meeting of members of the Zulu royal family and the late King Goodwill Zwelithini’s lawyers on Wednesday at KwaKhethomthandayo Royal Palace.
Speaking after the meeting, according to Times Live, Buthelezi told journalists that Queen Mantfombi becomes the regent in an “interregnum” – until an official successor is named. King Goodwill Zwelithini had six wives and Queen Mantfombi was the third wife.
Queen Mantfombi was regarded as a great mother of the Zulu nation, as she was King Zwelithini’s great wife. According to Wikipedia, the role of the great wife (or senior wife) in Zulu tradition included that of being the Queen Consort of the Zulu Kingdom. A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king, or an empress consort in the case of an emperor. A queen consort usually shares her spouse’s social rank and status.
She holds the feminine equivalent of the king’s monarchical titles. King Zwelithini is said to have had six wives and 28 children. As a third wife, Queen Mantfombi comes after Queens Sibongile Dlamini (married in 1969) and Buhle Mathe (married in 1974).
Other queens are Thandekile Ndlovu (married in 1988), Nompumelelo Mchiza, and Zola Mafu, who joined the Zulu Royalty in 2004. Mafu also hails from Eswatini. However, Mafu, according to South African media, married the King in 2014.
Discussion about this post