The succession battle continues in Zulu weeks after the death of King Goodwill Zwelithini, who has left behind 28 children with six wives.

Prior to his death reportedly due to a COVID-19 related illness at the age of 72 in March this year, Goodwill named his third wife, Queen Mantfombi Shiyiwe Dlamini Zulu, as the "regent of the Zulu kingdom" in his will. However, the queen regent passed away after holding the title for only a month, and what followed was total chaos over who should sit on the throne. There have also been rumours that the queen, who is the sister of Africa's only absolute monarch, King Mswati III of Swaziland, was poisoned, reports Mail Online.

In her will that was read at a memorial service for her on Friday, the queen named Prince Misuzulu, her eldest son with King Zwelithini, as the heir and the next King. However, another prince disputed Misuzulu's right to the throne since he is not the child of the late King's first wife, while two princesses objected to the will questioning whether their father gave Queen Mantfombi the right to nominate a successor upon her death.

The king's first wife Sibongile Dlamini, who married the monarch in 1969, has also launched legal action arguing that she is his only legal wife and that his children by the other marriages are not legitimate heirs. She is also demanding that she should inherit half of his estate, a claim which has been supported by her daughters Princess Ntandoyenkosi and Princess Ntombizosuthu, who have themselves filed a separate legal case that their father's will was forged.

Meanwhile, Prince Misuzulu called for unity among his family members at his mother's funeral, while wearing a traditional leopard-skin headband which is reserved for royalty and chiefs. In a message that was read out by his younger sister, Princess Ntandoyesizwe Zulu, he said: "We have no doubt we will unite as a family. Let us emulate the king by being peaceful."

Prince Misuzulu was whisked away by bodyguards amid a commotion over whether he is the rightful heir to the throne.

The position of the King of Zulu has no political or even constitutional rights and is a largely ceremonial role, but holds great significance for South Africa and its 12 million Zulu people. The appointment of the new King will also impact the assets left by the former King and the vast amounts of land traditionally owned by the people of the community which is now held in a trust of which the King is the sole trustee. The trust is estimated to hold nearly 30% of the land in KwaZulu-Natal province, or around 28,000 square kilometers (10,810 square miles).

Forbes estimates King Zwelithini's net worth at nearly $20 million, while the Zulu royal household is provided an annual budget of around $5 million by the South African government.

King Zwelithjini
Former Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini Reuters