NONGOMA (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa)\u2014 Thousands of people gathered at the Zulu royal palace in South Africa on Saturday to witness the crowning of a new king in the country\u2019s richest and most influential traditional monarchy.<\/P>
<\/P>
Misuzulu Zulu, 47, ascended to the throne once held by his late father, Goodwill Zwelithini, during traditional ceremonies that were partially overshadowed by a bitter succession dispute.<\/P>
<\/P>
\u201cToday the Zulu nation starts a new chapter. I promise I will work to unite the Zulu nation,\u201d the new sovereign told well-wishers speaking from a podium in a large white marquee, wearing a traditional leopard skin and a necklace of predator claws.<\/P>
<\/P>
Although the title of king does not bestow executive power, the monarchs wield great moral influence over more than 11 million Zulus, who make up nearly a fifth of South Africa\u2019s population.<\/P>
<\/P>
From the early morning, men and women in colourful traditional outfits started to assemble outside the marble palace on the hills of Nongoma, a small town in the southeastern province of KwaZulu-Natal, the Zulu heartland \u2014 to honour the new monarch.<\/P>
<\/P>
\u201cIt\u2019s a great day, we are making history,\u201d Bongani Khumalo, 80, who is part of the regiments of warriors in charge of protecting the king, said.<\/P>
<\/P>
Amid the festivities, however, an acrimonious family dispute over the throne raged.<\/P>
<\/P>
As celebrations got underway, an eleventh-hour legal appeal from a branch of the royal family to block all ceremonies was struck down by a court, local media reported.<\/P>
<\/P>
In Nongoma, lines of Zulu warriors, known as amaButhos and holding spears and shields of animal skin, marched into the palace grounds.<\/P>
<\/P>
For hours they enacted war dances under the warm winter sun waiting for the king to appear.<\/P>
<\/P>
Women \u2014 some bare-chested, others in pleated skirts and beaded belts or draped with fabrics bearing the effigy of the sovereign \u2014 sang and danced.<\/P>
<\/P>
Royal minstrels sang the praises of the new king and told the story of his legendary ancestors.<\/P>
<\/P>
Suddenly, the king emerged before the crowd wearing a costume of black feathers cinched at the waist by a belt, a spear and holding a shield.<\/P>
<\/P>
He joined a line of warriors who swore loyalty to their new leader.<\/P>
<\/P>
\u201cWe have our king!\u201d shouted Sinenhlanhla Msweli, a 29-year-old in attendance.<\/P>
<\/P>
Misuzulu\u2019s path to the crown has not been smooth.<\/P>
<\/P>
King Zwelithini who died in March last year after 50 years in charge, left six wives and at least 28 children.<\/P>
<\/P>
Misuzulu is the first son of Zwelithini\u2019s third wife, who he designated as regent in his will.<\/P>
<\/P>
But the queen died suddenly a month later, leaving a will naming Misuzulu as the next king \u2014 a development that did not go down well with other branches of the family.<\/P>
<\/P>
Queen Sibongile Dlamini, the late king\u2019s first wife, has backed her son Prince Simakade Zulu as the rightful heir.<\/P>
<\/P>
Some of the late king\u2019s brothers have put forward a third prince as their candidate for the throne.<\/P>
<\/P>
Queen Sibongile\u2019s legal bid to challenge the succession was revived Friday as she was granted the right to appeal a previous unfavourable ruling.<\/P>
<\/P>
But on Saturday a Pietermaritzburg court struck down an urgent motion by two of her daughters to stop all rituals.<\/P>
<\/P>
\u201cThose who are Zulu and know the traditions, know who is the king,\u201d said Themba Fakazi, an adviser to the previous ruler who supports Misuzulu.<\/P>
<\/P>
The next Zulu monarch will inherit a fortune and tap into a rich seam of income.<\/P>
<\/P>
Zwelithini received some 71 million rand ($4.2 million) a year from the government and owned several palaces and other properties.<\/P>
<\/P>
A royal trust manages almost three million hectares (7.4 million acres) of land \u2014 an area about the size of Belgium.<\/P>
<\/P>
President Cyril Ramaphosa, who in March recognised Misuzulu as the rightful king, is to formally certify the crowning at a ceremony in the coming months.<\/P>
<\/P>
Source: Nam News Network<\/P>
<\/P><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
NONGOMA (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa)\u2014 Thousands of people gathered at the Zulu royal palace in South Africa on Saturday to witness the crowning of a new king in the country\u2019s richest and most influential traditional monarchy.Misuzulu Zulu, 47, ascende…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n