Court finds King Misuzulu's crowning as Zulu king unlawful

In his arguments last month, Marumo Moerane SC, who represented Ramaphosa, said the president and the minister of co-operative governance and traditional affairs issued the kingship certificate based on the judgment of KwaZulu-Natal deputy judge president Isaac Madondo in March 2022.

Madondo had found that Misuzulu was the “undisputed successor to the throne” at the Pietermaritzburg high court after several applications. One was by Mbonisi Zulu, who tried to interdict the coronation of Misuzulu, which Madondo denied.

Moerane had argued that Ramaphosa acted on the advice and permission of the Zulu prime minister, the late Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, who was at a family meeting on May 14 2021 where the identity of the new king was decided.

Davis said Ramaphosa had “erred in law” by not following the preemptive provisions set out in the act.

“This renders his recognition decision susceptible to review,” he said.

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