The Pretoria High Court has ordered President Cyril Ramaphosa to appoint an investigative committee to probe and provide a report into allegations that the identification of King Misuzulu kaZwelithini was not made in terms of customary laws and customs.
This is contained in the judgment handed down on Monday.
The Court has ruled that President Ramaphosa’s decision to recognise King Misuzulu under the Leadership Act is unlawful and invalid.
However, the court has said that the ruling is not about who should be the king of Amazulu.
The court application was brought by Prince Simakade Zulu – the late King Goodwill Zwelithini’s firstborn son.
Simakade said President Ramaphosa had acted hastily in certifying his half-brother as the Zulu King.
Meanwhile, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) says it has noted the North Gauteng High Court’s ruling.
IFP spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa says, “We have noted the judgment of the court and it is a matter of the royal family now to deal with, and we hope that they will be able to respond to it in earnest to provide the necessary stability. And we will accept whatever outcome of that process is concerned. So, for us, it’s the matter for the royal family, and his majesty the king to see how they take it forward.”
Judge Norman Davis in his ruling, said that the judgment is not about who should be king of the AmaZulu nation.
Judge Davis said the court was asked to determine whether King Misuzulu kaZwelithini had been appointed as King in terms of the Zulu custom.
The judge said the second question was whether the President had correctly recognised the king in terms of the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act.
