In December 2023, Judge Norman Davis ruled in favour of Princes Mbonisi and Simakade Zulu, who opposed the King’s official recognition by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

In May this year, both the President and the monarch approached the Supreme Court of Appeal to challenge the ruling.

The SCA has now ruled in their favour.

President Cyril Ramaphosa officially recognised King Misuzulu kaZwelithini as the Zulu monarch in March 2022.

However, members of the Zulu royal family who opposed Misuzulu’s ascension to the throne approached the court to oppose this move.

The Pretoria High Court ruled in their favour, saying that proper procedure was not followed in the recognition process.

Lawyers for both the King and President Cyril Ramaphosa appealed the ruling in Bloemfontein. They argued that all processes were followed and that the royal family had actually identified the King, with the President only later giving official recognition.

Three months after the arguments were heard, the Supreme Court overturned the Pretoria High Court ruling. It also ordered that the respondents pay the costs of the appeal.

The king, with his entourage, is still in England after being conferred with two honours, the African Impact and the Humanitarian Impact awards, over the weekend.

The African Impact Award recognises outstanding leadership in promoting cultural identity, national unity, and regional development.

The Humanitarian Impact Award honours dedication to uplifting communities, protecting indigenous knowledge systems, and advancing human dignity.

The Zulu royal spokesperson, who accompanied the king, stated that while still in the country, the king took an opportunity to visit the museum, which keeps important historical information about the Battle of Isandlwana, where Zulus defeated the heavily armed British army at the foot of the hill in Nquthu, north of KwaZulu-Natal.

Reacting to the awards conferred to the king, Prince Thulani said King Misuzulu’s dual recognition marks the first time a sitting Zulu monarch has been internationally honoured in this manner on foreign soil.

“In a historic ceremony that merged tradition with diplomacy, His Majesty King Misuzulu kaZwelithini of the Zulu Kingdom was conferred with two of Africa’s most prestigious honours — the African Impact Award and the Humanitarian Impact Award — at the 15th African Achievers Awards, hosted at the Palace of Westminster in London, United Kingdom,” said Zulu.

The awards, celebrated over two days in the British Parliament’s most iconic chambers — the House of Commons and the House of Lords — were hosted respectively by The Honourable Diane Abbott MP, Mother of the House, and Baroness Sandip Verma, member of the House of Lords and chancellor of Roehampton University.

The prince said the event drew statesmen, royals, diplomats, international media, and civil society leaders from across the globe; however, the evening’s highest honour and greatest resonance belonged to King Misuzulu kaZwelithini, whose presence marked not just a ceremonial engagement, but a symbolic return of the Zulu crown to the very empire that once exiled his forefathers.

His Majesty was accompanied by a 12-member official royal delegation, reflecting the full authority and breadth of the Zulu Kingdom’s leadership.

Included in this high-level entourage were:

• Her Royal Highness Queen LaMdhluli, consort to the King.
• Nkosi Chiliza, deputy traditional prime minister of the Zulu Kingdom.
• Nkosi Prince Zuzifa Buthelezi, chairperson of the King’s Council.
• Prince Thulani Zulu, official spokesperson of the Zulu Royal House.
• Prince Nathi Zulu, representative of the Zulu Monarchy in the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial House of Traditional Leaders.

willem.phungula@inl.co.za

• Diplomatic Engagement: To formalize a kingdom-to-kingdom relationship between the Zulu and British monarchies.  
• Cultural Recognition: To pay tribute to the complex shared history, including the impact of the Battle of Isandlwana.  
• Economic Opportunities: To explore potential for investment, trade, tourism, and the return of traditional Zulu artifacts.  
• Inter-Kingdom Diplomacy: To advance post-colonial reconciliation and foster mutual respect and wisdom between the nations.  

Highlights of the Visit:

• African Achievers Awards: King Misuzulu received the African Impact and Humanitarian Impact Awards during a ceremony at the Palace of Westminster.  
• Royal Welsh Museum: The King visited the museum in Brecon, Wales, to honor the diplomatic efforts and legacy of his parents.  
• Discussions with British Officials: He held discussions with the British High Commissioner to explore potential bilateral partnerships and economic growth in the KwaZulu-Natal province.  
• Return of Zulu Artefacts: The King called for the return of significant Zulu war artifacts held by the British crown. 

King Misuzulu KaZwelithini of the Zulu nation has signed a symbolic pledge of cooperation with the King of the Itsekiri people of Nigeria.

The pledge was signed  on Friday at KwaKhangelamankengane royal palace in Nongoma in northern KwaZulu-Natal during the visit of King Ògíamè Atúwàtse III, CFR – The Olú of Warri.

In his speech to welcome the delegation of the Nigerian kingdom, King Misuzulu said the visit was far more than a ceremonial visit. It was a sacred reawakening of ancestral bonds between the Zulu nation and the Itsekiri people.

United by legacy, kingship

He added that although the two nations are separated by geographical boundaries, they are united by legacy, by kingship, “and by our enduring role as custodians of African dignity, culture, and heritage”.

He reminded the delegation that their historic visit signified the rekindling of a long-overdue royal dialogue between their sovereign royal houses.

“It is a meeting of purpose. Born not out of convenience but out of a shared vision to lead our people into a future rooted in identity. A future guided by wisdom, and empowered by unity. Earlier today in a private session, we solemnised this moment by signing a pledge of collaboration. A symbolic and intentional act that will echo for generations to come.

“This pledge, signed by both our royal hands, lays the foundation for cooperation in the following critical areas: socioeconomic cooperation, cultural exchange and potential investments between our kingdoms,” the Zulu king said.

Spiritual commitment

King Misuzulu also said the collaboration is not merely a document. It is a spiritual commitment and a declaration that the two African monarchies are not relics of the past but engines of empowerment for the present and the future.

“Through this pledge, we affirm that our kingdoms are ready to build trade bridges, cultural platforms, and sustainable partnerships that benefit our people. Let it be known to the world, and especially to Africa, that this royal engagement is a living testimony of Pan-African unity in action. It is a reminder that our crowns are not only symbols of tradition but also vessels of transformation.

“As Zulu and Itsekiri, as Warri and KwaZulu, we say today with one voice: we are stronger together. Let this be the first of many steps we take side by side. Toward restoring pride, wealth, and sovereignty to our people across the continent.

“May the spirits of our great ancestors smile upon this union. May the Almighty bless our kingdoms and all who dwell under their banners.”

Source: Sunday World