By Sihle Mavuso
The embattled King of the Zulu nation, King Misuzulu KaZwelithini, is set to pay lobola for Queen Sihle KaMawewe Mdhluli in Komatipoort in Mpumalanga province, officially marrying her almost two years after she was first introduced to the nation.
The Zulu King who is already married to Queen Ntokozi Mayisela of Newcastle, Queen Nozizwe Mulela of Eswatini and Queen Nomzamo Myeni of Jozini, is expected to pay 30 cows to the Mdhlulis and conclude their traditional marriage.
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According to insiders, the King took the decision to marry Mdlhuli after always being on his side for the longest time, even during difficult times like when his biological sisters and brothers turned against him over the estate of their late mother.
“The King has already commissioned a delegation to the Mdhluli’s to pay lobola on Sunday. I am not yet sure who will lead the delegation,” said a source.
The newly appointed spokesperson of the KIng and the Zulu monarch, Mpikayise Buthelezi, confirmed to Inside Politics that the lobola would be paid but declined to say how many cows would be paid.
“I can confirm that his Majesty is going to pay lobola to the Mdhlulis over the weekend in Komatipoort in Mpumalanga province, that’s all that I can say for now,” Buthelezi said.
The lobola ceremony comes as the Zulu King is under siege on two fronts. He is under siege from gender activists after a video of him allegedly drunk and insulting Queen Nomzamo Myeni, his third wife, was leaked.
In the video, he was seen repeatedly insulting the Queen and even threatening to beat her up. He has since apologised for that and said he regrets the incident.
On another front, the King has had a bad fallout with some Zulu royal family members like Prince Thulani Zulu, the former spokesperson he fired slightly over three weeks ago after he questioned the decision to meet with President Cyril Ramaphosa behind closed doors and in the absence of senior royal family members as per the dictates of the royal protocol.
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He is also under pressure after firing his traditional prime minister, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, for the first time, creating an impression of instability within the monarch.
Meanwhile, the traditional leaders and some Zulu royal family members who met in Ulundi on Friday to discuss royal matters remained tightlipped what exactly was discussed.
However, one traditional leader who spoke to Inside Politics said the meeting did not discuss the issue of the appointment of Inkosi Phathisizwe Chiliza to replace Buthelezi.
The traditional leader said that was not part of their agenda and the meeting was long planned long before the Zulu King sacked Buthelezi and appointed Chiliza.
“In any case, we could not challenge that as the King appoints whoever he deems fit for the position and we cannot challenge that. So, it is not true that the appointment was part of the agenda,” the leader said.
The chairman of the behind-closed-doors meeting, Inkosi Ngamizizwe Madlala, could not be reached for comments.
