The Pietermaritzburg High Court is expected to hand down its ruling on Wednesday in a court battle between members of the AmaZulu royal family following the passing of King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu in March last year.
The late king’s first wife Queen Sibongile Zulu and her two daughters are challenging the validity of his will.
KwaZulu-Natal’s Deputy Judge President Isaac Madondo is due to hand down his ruling in the applications brought by Queen Sibongile Zulu and her two daughters – Princesses Ntandoyenkosi Zulu and Ntombizosuthu Zulu-Duma.
Queen Sibongile is claiming 50 percent of the late king’s estate, while the princesses are asking for an interim order that the authenticity of the king’s will be tested in a trial.
Queen Sibongole has based her claim to half the king’s estate on the fact that they were married in a civil union and in a community of property in 1969.
Judge Madondo, however, ruled in January that Queen Sibongile did not seek the court to declare the subsequent five customary marriages invalid.
Madodondo said, “What she is concerned with is that her portion of the estate that is what in the papers, therefore I rule that nowhere in the papers or in the finding of the replying affidavit or in the notice of motion which is called upon to determine and made a finding on the validity of the subsequence on the marriages of the king with other queens. The rolling over to make amendments is refused.”
High Court dismisses Queen Sibongile’s application to amend founding affidavit:
Immediately after this ruling, Judge Madondo attended to another application brought by Queen Sibongile and her daughters questioning the king’s will.
The will named the late Queen Mantfombi Dlamini-Zulu as Regent following the king’s passing in March last year.
Queen Mantfombi passed away a month after the king, and appointed their son – Misuzulu kaZwelithini as the successor to the throne in her will.
In their application, the two princesses contend that King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu’s signature was forged in the will.
Acting for Queen Sibongile and the Princesses, Advocate Nigel Redman set out the findings of a handwriting expert that they appointed.
Acting for other members of the royal family, Advocate Griffiths Madonsela asked the court to dismiss the application by the Princesses.
Madonsela argued that the two had failed to specify how they would be unfavourably affected. He pointed out that the two princesses endorsed the king’s appointment of Queen Mantfombi as regent at a meeting after his passing.
Police are once again expecting a large crowd outside court when Judge Madondo hands down his ruling.
AmaZulu Royal battle in court:
