By Celani Sikhakhane
The House of Dingiswayo kaJobe of the Mthethwa clan in eMpangeni, northern KwaZulu-Natal, is in a bitter court battle over who should take the throne after Inkosi Ntemba Mthethwa died in 2017.
The fight began when some family members chose Mduduzeni kaNtemba, the son of Inkosi Ntemba’s fifth wife, as the new Inkosi.
James Mthethwa, speaking for the family, said that Mduduzeni kaNtemba is the rightful heir because his mother, the fifth wife, was adopted into the great house of the first wife, kaMnqayi.
“Since his mother, MaCele, was adopted into the great house of kaMnqayi, she had the right to give birth to an heir.
“Even though the firstborn of kaMnqayi, the late Mbuso wabaThethwa, is still alive, his half-brother Mduduzeni should take the throne,” said Mthethwa.
But the children of Mbuso wabaThethwa argue that their uncle should take the throne, saying the kingship belongs to them because their grandmother was the great wife.
This situation is similar to the fight within the Zulu royal family over the throne, where King Misuzulu kaZwelithini is in conflict with his half-brother, Prince Simakade kaZwelithini, who claims to be the rightful heir because Queen Regent Mantfombi kaSobhuza adopted him.
The Mthethwa clan is important in Zulu royal history because King Shaka was raised and mentored by King Dingiswayo of the Mthethwa clan.
Dingiswayo trained Shaka and helped him take over the throne from his late father, King Senzangakhona kaJama.
The matter is still before the Pietermaritzburg High Court.
Pictured above: New Inkosi Mduduzeni kaNtemba of the Mthethwa clan, who is fighting with his brother’s children over his right to the throne.
Source: TikTok
