APA-Pretoria (South Africa) South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recognition and crowning of King Misuzulu kaZwelithini of the Zulu nation was “unlawful and invalid” – and should be set aside, Pretoria High Court judge Norman Davis has ruled.
The ruling on Monday followed the royal family’s complaint to the courts to determine the rightful heir of the crown as Misuzulu’s brother Prince Simakade Zulu claimed he was entitled to the throne as well.
The president’s decision to recognise and crown Misuzulu as Zulu nation’s king should, therefore, be set aside, Davis said in his judgment.
The young king’s recognition was contained in the Government Gazette of 17 March 2022.
Ramaphosa was ordered to act in accordance with the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act by appointing an investigative committee to probe and report back on the allegations that the identification process of Misuzulu did not follow customary laws and customs.
According to Davis, Monday’s judgment was not to determine who was the rightful king ofthe Zulu nation as that was not what the applicants had tried to contest in court.
He explained that the applicants brought two review applications and the court was required to determine the validity of these documents.
The first application was whether the incumbent king, Misuzulu kaZwelithini Zulu, had been appointed as king in terms of Zulu customs – and the second complaint was whether the president had correctly recognised the present king in terms of the law, Davis said.
Legal costs of the applicants, including their two counsels, should be paid by Ramaphosa, Davis ordered.
NM/jn/APA