Tributes continue to pour in for His Majesty King Makhosoke Enock Mabhena II of the AmaNdebele nation, who passed away on 9 June. He ascended the throne in 1986 and had served as the monarch for the last 40 years.
His parents were the late King William Mbhongo II and Queen Sonengani Mabhena.
One of his last public appearances was in March 2026 at the 46th annual commemoration of King Silamba in Gauteng.
In October 2024, the late King was elected as the chairperson of the SA King’s forum, a national committee by the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA).
TRIBUTES POUR IN FOR KING MAKHOSOKE MABHENA II
In an official statement by the South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, it reads:
“It is with deep sadness that I mourn the passing away today, Tuesday, 9 June 2026, of His Majesty King Makhosonke II – Enock Makhosonke Mabhena – reigning King of the amaNdebele Nation.”
On behalf of the Democratic Alliance (DA), Geordin Hill-Lewis also expressed his condolences via an official statement.
He mentioned that the party’s leadership plans to visit the royal family to pay their respects.
“We send our sincere condolences to his family, and the Royal Kingdom of AmaNdebele. The DA leadership over the next coming few days will be making arrangements to visit to pay our respects and condolences,” read the statement.
Velenkosini Hlabisa, the Minister of CoGTA, also mourns the passing of His Majesty King Makhosoke II.
“His passing marks the end of an era and leaves a great loss for the AmaNdebele community and the country at large.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed his condolences to the family of the late King family and the AmaNdebele nation.
“My thoughts and prayers – and I know those of the nation – go out today to the Royal Household, Her Majesty Queen Sekhothali, amaNdebele and the Basotho nation from whom Her Majesty is descended,” read the statement.
His Majesty was married to Queen Sekhothali Seeiso-Mabhena from the Seeiso royal family in Lesotho.
The royal couple held two weddings in October 2019. One in Lesotho, where the Queen dazzled in a purple gown, and another in KwaNdebele, where she wore a traditional Ndebele attire.
