Queen Ntokozo kaMayisela, the first wife of South Africa’s Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini, has failed in her legal bid to block the king’s plans to marry a third woman. Ahead of what was expected to be the wedding later this week, the queen turned to the courts for intervention. However, the situation remains uncertain as new developments continue to unfold.
On Saturday, a letter reportedly from King Misuzulu emerged, stating that the wedding had been cancelled “due to reasons beyond the control of the royal house.” Yet, it remains unclear whether the ceremony will be rescheduled or go ahead as originally planned.
In South Africa, polygamous marriages are recognized, but they must be registered as customary unions. The king’s decision to marry a third wife has become a focal point in a broader legal and family dispute that has marked much of his reign since taking the throne.
The legal conflict began when Queen Ntokozo sought to block the marriage, arguing that the king’s civil marriage to her, which was formalized in 2021, was still valid. Under South African law, a civil marriage must either be dissolved or converted to a traditional marriage before a man can marry additional wives. The queen’s legal team contended that the king had no right to marry again while their civil union was still in force.
Despite this, the issue has been clouded by ambiguity. Reports indicate that the king and queen had previously agreed to convert their civil marriage to a traditional union, but for reasons that remain unclear, King Misuzulu reversed his decision. This contrast in their accounts has left many questioning the legal status of their relationship.
On Monday, the High Court rejected the queen’s application to stop the wedding. Judge Bongani Mngadi ruled that since Queen Ntokozo had already consented to the possibility of the king marrying more than one woman, she could not prevent the marriage from going forward.
However, even as the court ruling was made, contradictions continued to surface. Media reports revealed that the bride-to-be, Nomzamo Myeni, was unaware of the king’s letter cancelling the wedding. As she understood it, the ceremony was still planned as initially scheduled. Meanwhile, other sources, including IOL, quoted King Misuzulu as saying that he was committed to marrying Myeni, even stating he would “marry her by force” if necessary.
King Misuzulu’s reign has been marred by controversy since he ascended the throne in 2022. While the position of Zulu king is largely ceremonial, the monarch remains an influential figure in South Africa, with a significant government-funded budget that bolsters his role in Zulu society. Yet, his leadership has sparked several challenges, both legal and internal.
In December 2022, the king faced criticism for unlawfully suspending the board of the Ingonyama Trust, which controls vast land holdings in KwaZulu-Natal. The Trust is meant to benefit the local communities, but the king’s decision to fire board members raised concerns about his approach to governance. He also dismissed two key aides in quick succession, including his traditional prime minister, prompting further doubts about his management style.
More recently, questions about the king’s legitimacy have been raised in the courts. A legal case challenging his recognition as the rightful monarch is currently underway. King Misuzulu unexpectedly took the throne following the death of his father, King Goodwill Zwelithini, in 2021. The late king had reigned for nearly five decades, and his sudden passing created a power vacuum within the royal family.
