The long-standing dispute over who should ascend the throne of the Balobedu Queenship is negatively affecting the affairs of the whole Balobedu nation in Limpopo.
That’s according to the spokesperson of the Modjadji Royal Council, Ronnie Moroatshehla.
This follows the royal council’s 2021 decision that prince Lekukela Modjadji would ascend the throne instead of his sister, Princess Masalanabo Modjadji.
Princess Masalanabo’s then foster parent, Mathole Motshekga, then approached the High Court in Pretoria to seek that the decision be set aside.
The matter is still before the court.
Moroatshehla says the ongoing court process is disrupting the plans for the coronation of the prince as the Balobedu monarch.
“It is not only the two siblings who are emotionally affected by this, it is actually disruptive to the manner in which we are running our kingdom. And now we are being litigated by an outsider – it is affecting everybody in the land, it is affecting the whole kingdom and negatively as I am putting it. That is why I say to you the only favour the prof can do is to bring the child home, to reconcile with the brother.”
Meanwhile, Motshekga who ceased to be the guardian of princess Masalanabo when she turned 18 at the beginning of the year, says he still supports her legitimacy as heir to the throne.
“That does not mean that I’m withdrawing my support for the legitimate queen elect, Masalanabo Modjadji. The people who say Masanalabo must come, they are not related to her and in fact where she has learnt about the role at Maolwe Royal Court, they are not even allowed to set their foot there – how will they be able to teach her rituals at a place where they are not allowed to enter.”
VIDEO | Moroatshehla says Modjadji leadership dispute is disruptive to the Balobedu people:
