Zulu PM’S appointment set for court

AS THE infighting within the Zulu royal family over King Misuzulu’s crowning continues, the appointment of the new traditional prime minister and his deputy will be challenged in court this week.

The application, which was filed last year, would be heard at the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Tuesday, according to Prince Mbonisi Zulu’s lawyer, Barnabas Xulu of JG & Xulu Incorporated Attorneys.

While the matter is not specifically challenging Thulasizwe Buthelezi or his deputy Phathisizwe Chiliza, its outcome would determine whether they would continue to hold the positions. Mbonisi had made the application in November to prevent King Misuzulu from taking any decisions that would affect the monarch, royal family and traditional leaders.

This included appointing a replacement for the late Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi who was the traditional prime minister.

Law firm’s spokesperson, Mkhulu Nsingiza, said the king should not have made the appointments because he had been informed of the interdict last year.

“In particular and specifically, it (pending matter) prevents King Misuzulu from Appointing a person to serve as Undunankulu and/or Prime Minister of the Zulu Monarch and of the Kingdom of Amazulu,” read the statement.

The king announced Buthelezi and Chiliza’s position on January 27 during the 145th commemoration of the 1879 battle of Isandlwana held in Nquthu, northern Kwazulu-natal.

Prince Mbonisi and his backers within the royal family have rejected Misuzulu’s kingship and hence filed the interdict. They preferred the late king’s elder son Prince Simakade to be the heir to the throne.

However, Chiliza and the king’s spokesperson Prince Africa claimed to be unaware of the application and the court hearing.

Chiliza said the court application could not prevent the appointments as it was not legally binding.

“When a person files papers in court there is nothing legally binding unless there is a court order.

“Usually such communicated by legal teams, but aware of it,” said Chiliza.

When asked why the king made the appointment while there was a pending court case, Prince Africa asked for more time to get a response from the king on this “technical and legal matter”.

“At this moment I don’t have a response. To get hold of the king can take seven days as he is not easily contacted,” said Prince Africa.

In a statement released on February 5, a day after Buthelezi and Chiliza had addressed the media in Durban, Xulu denounced their appointments.

In a letter on behalf of the contesting family members, Xulu said, the appointments were premature as this matter was “sub judice” as a result of the pending court interdict application hearing.

It described the appointments as a threat to tear the relationship within the royal family and the traditional leadership further apart.

“It is therefore fit, proper and duty bound for us as the Zulu Royal Family to denounce this sham appointment in the strongest terms possible. It has no force or effect,” read the letter.

Buthelezi declined to comment. issues are I was not