Prince Misuzulu, 46, will take over as the next Zulu king, according to the will of his mother and regent queen. The announcement led to chaos at the royal palace.
Zulu people still live in a monarchy and respects its principles. Crown Prince Misuzulu Zulu who is the eldest son of South Africa’s late Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini and his recently departed regent queen, has been named the next king. The news on that caused a stir within the royal family.
As a succession battle plays out, the 46-year-old Prince is preparing for the ceremony. He was named the heir to the throne in the last will of Queen Shiyiwe Mantfombi Dlamini Zulu, which was read out at the Royal Palace on Friday.
I “hereby nominate and appoint Misuzulu Zulu… as my successor to the throne,” the late queen’s will read out by advocate Griffiths Madonsela said.
The queen and regent died unexpectedly at 65 on April 30. The senior royal was buried on Friday morning, just over a month after she was named interim successor to her husband king Goodwill Zwelithini.
Zulu: chaos at the royal palace
Zwelithini was the longest-serving leader of South Africa’s largest ethnic group. The king died on March 12 at 72 following a battle with a diabetes-related illness. The former king left behind six wives and 28 children, he spent more than half a century on the throne.
The turbulent succession battle set off within the Zulu family with various factions putting forward their candidates staking claim to the throne. The letter that bequeathed the monarchy to the late queen’s first son was dated 23 March, a day before she was named regent.
Prince Thokozani Zulu, another member of the royal family and brother of the new successor, saying that the Royal House should decide on the succession because the late king Zwelithini’s “will do not say who should take over from the queen”.
Meantime, the newly named heir was then quickly whisked away by heavily armed security.
