A small group from the Zulu royal family has pronounced Prince Simakade, the eldest son of King Goodwill Zwelithini as the new King.
The pronouncement was made after Prince Simakade performed the ceremony of entering the kraal at the Enyokeni palace, a week before the coronation of his brother King Misuzulu.
On Saturday night people gathered at Enyoken royal palace for the crowning of Prince Simakade’s kraal-entering ceremony.
The small faction of the royal family crowned Prince Simakade as King despite other members of the royal house and government officially recognising King MisuZulu as the rightful king of the Zulu nation.
The entering of the Kraal is a sacred ritual performed following the death of the Zulu Monarch and precedes the recognition of the successor. Speaking to Eyewitness News ahead of the ceremony, the faction said they are the only ones who can identify a Zulu King and stated that King Misuzulu was not their preferred King.
As such the faction of the Zulu royal family said they did not recognise King Misuzulu’s role and duties that he performs on their behalf thus far.
“He is Prince Misuzulu, even if we were to agree as the family- we are the ones who to say yes, he is (king), and then we salute him with Bayede- if it is something or someone else no! He is still the prince,” said Prince Mandlakapheli Zulu.
Source: Eyewitness News, The Citizen, IOL, image from Eyewitness News: Prince Lungalomndeni Zulu
