Who is king zwelithini

It is still unclear how she died. Chief Buthelezi said a post-mortem had been done to establish the cause of death, and its results were expected in a couple of weeks. This required treatment with antibiotics in the hope of reducing the infection.

Toxins are not the same thing as poison ," he was quoted on Monday as saying, amid rumours that she had once again been poisoned.

The first wife of King Zwelithini, she has launched a court bid for half of her late husband's vast estate, which includes several properties, and hectares of prime land across KwaZulu-Natal that the king was trustee of. It is unclear how much cash the king left behind. Queen Dlamini says that only she and the king were married in community of property. She wants the court to set aside his other five, traditional marriages, to prevent them from getting an equal share of the estate, to recognise her as the only legal wife, and to block the ascension to the throne of anyone who is not from her family.

In fact, she says she holds the title of "Great Wife", or "Udlunkulu" in Zulu, as she was the king's first wife married to him under civil law which does not allow or recognise polygamy. In a court affidavit, Queen Dlamini also revealed that she was made to marry King Zwelithini under the ancient cultural practice of "ukuthwala" abduction for marriage at the age of She alleges that the estate of the royal household belongs to her and her late husband in equal parts, and any attempt to dispose it "as if it was the sole property of the late Isilo is legally incompetent and impermissible".

Meanwhile, in a separate court case, two of Queen Dlamini's daughters are challenging the validity of their late father's will and allege they have reason to believe it was forged. They have thrown their weight behind Queen Dlamini's claim to the estate. For years there was speculation that the king would choose his eldest son, Prince Lethukuthula, as his heir. The prince was the son of the king's first wife. But the prince died in November in mysterious circumstances.

Some in the monarchy believe his death may have been an attempt to prevent him from ascending to the throne but this has never been proven. Five suspects, four women aged between 27 and 42 and a year-old man, were arrested in the capital, Pretoria, for the murder of the year-old prince. The investigation into his death is still ongoing and they have not yet been asked to plead.

Initial reports allege that he and his business partner were drugged and robbed by the suspects who the prince was apparently entertaining at his home. President Cyril Ramaphosa has said that he will be accorded a state funeral - normally reserved for presidents and former leaders. The date has not been announced but in the meantime, national flags will fly at half-mast. He will lie in state in the royal palace in Nongoma, about km miles from Durban where he was in hospital, for a "few days", according to his uncle, Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi.

King Zwelithini was a direct descendent of King Cetshwayo, who led the Zulu nation during the war with the British in Throughout his 50 year-reign he was a strong advocate for preserving cultural identity. As custodian of Zulu traditions and customs, he revived many cultural practices including Umhlanga - also known as the Reed Dance ceremony. South Africa's president has described him as a "much-loved visionary". He will be remembered as a straight-talker, at times to the ire of some.

VOA Africa Listen live. VOA Newscasts Latest program. VOA Newscasts. Previous Next. May 08, PM. Associated Press. In reply to these allegations, the KwaZulu government issued a protocol guide that limited King Zwelithini's constitutional role. He refused to address the KwaZulu Legislative Assembly as was his norm and rumours of his unseating abounded. Buthelezi's response was to cut the royal salary and an inquiry was launched into the allegations of misconduct. Part of the investigation was into King Zwelithini's alleged support of armed revolution.

In King Zwelithini denied the allegations, including a claim that he advocated violence in KwaZulu to overthrow the Zulu state. The KwaZulu government eventually restored his salary. In King Zwelithini was forbidden to give interviews without the approval and presence of the KwaZulu Minister of Justice.