Pretoria Court Overturns Decision to Recognise King Misuzulu KaZwelithini as Zulu Monarch
Yesterday, the Pretoria High Court ruled to overturn the previous decision to recognise King Misuzulu KaZwelithini as the Isilo or monarch of the Zulu nation. The ruling comes after a long legal battle between the Royal Family of the Zulu Nation and the South African government.
The ruling was delivered by Judge Willem van der Westhuizen, who stated that the recognition of KaZwelithini as the Isilo of the Zulu nation was “not in accordance with the law” due to the fact that he was not elected by the Zulu people in a traditional customary process.
The decision to recognise KaZwelithini as the Isilo of the Zulu nation was first made on 30 March 2021, when the South African government announced that it would recognise KaZwelithini as the Isilo of the Zulu nation. The government said that the decision was made “in recognition of the importance of providing a stable, hereditary leadership to the Zulu nation which could survive the death of the incumbent monarch and ensure that the Zulu nation continues to be protected and respected”.
However, the decision was met with vehement resistance from the Royal Family of the Zulu nation, who argued that KaZwelithini had not been elected in a traditional customary process, and that the recognition of him was unconstitutional and illegal.
The Royal Family subsequently filed a court application to overturn the government’s decision, which was heard in the Pretoria High Court. After the ruling was delivered, one of the lawyers for the Royal Family, Thulani Zwane, said that the ruling was “a victory for the Zulu nation and a victory for the rule of law”.
The ruling is a major setback for the South African government, who had hoped that the recognition of KaZwelithini as the Isilo of the Zulu nation would bring some much-needed stability to the Zulu nation. However, it is being seen as a victory for the Royal Family of the Zulu nation, who have long argued that the recognition of KaZwelithini was not in accordance with their traditional customs.
The South African government has yet to comment on the ruling, but it is expected that they will appeal the ruling. In the meantime, the Zulu nation finds itself without an Isilo, and it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold.
Despite the setback, the Royal Family of the Zulu nation has said that they remain committed to finding a suitable candidate who can be elected in a traditional customary process to become the Isilo of the Zulu nation.
The ruling delivered by the Pretoria High Court is a major victory for the Zulu nation and a testament to the power of the rule of law. The Zulu nation is now once again in search of a leader who can be elected in a traditional customary process and provide a stable, hereditary leadership to the Zulu nation.
