The AmaMpondo royal succession row has reached a significant milestone with Prince Yolisa Sigcau, the eldest son of late King Tyelovuyo Zanozuko Sigcau, ascending to the throne as permanent king.
Though he is still pursuing his law degree, the Marhelane royal family said there would be no regent.
It is believed the move will bring stability and unlock development in Eastern Mpondoland or AmaMpondo AseQawukeni, where there has been no permanent head of the nation since the demise of Zanozuko in 2022.
But the new development in the AmaMpondo royal succession has divided the allegiance of the AmaMpondo nation to three rulers — a permanent king, an acting king and an acting queen — all claiming legitimacy.
Flanked by Western Mpondoland King Ndamase Ndamase and the Marhelane royal family chair, Nkosi Nzululwazi Sigcau, the new king was introduced to the AmaMpondo in an imbizo held at Hewu Great Place near Flagstaff on Saturday.
He turned 27 on April 18.
There was ululation, dancing and happiness as Nzululwaza announced Yolisa to the public as the king.
Despite the joy, the identification and the ascendancy to the throne are not recognised by a faction of the Marhelane royal family, including his aunt, Princess Ziyanda Sigcau.
Yolisa’s aunts and their mother, Nkosikazi Nobandla Sigcau, were not present, nor were AmaFaku royal family representatives present.
The death of Zanozuko on May 31 2022, has instead of uniting the royal family, created hatred, multiplied factions, and even caused division among his house, dividing those who had been supporting him and his family.
The public announcement of Yolisa as the king came shortly after premier Oscar Mabuyane signed the Government Gazette notice on March 14 that he was recognising Prince Dumelani Daluxolo Sigcau, 60, as acting king of AmaMpondo AseQawukeni.
In June 2022, the AmaFaku royal family, headed by Prince Seyiso Cetywayo, named Dumelani as acting king.
The same month, the Marhelane royal family, headed by Nzululwazi Sigcau, identified Yolisa as permanent king, while the faction of the same Marhelane royal family named Zanozuko’s mother, Nkosikazi Nobandla Sigcau, as acting queen.
Yolisa is born out of wedlock, but according to the faction of the royal family, he has been made an official child and according to AmaMpondo custom can ascend to the throne.
His aunts rejected Yolisa’s ascendancy to the throne and vowed to challenge it in court.
The AmaFaku royal family maintains that Dumelani remains the recognised acting king and rejects the move to make Yolisa a king.
The AmaFaku royal family tried to interdict the Saturday imbizo, but the application was struck off the roll at the Mthatha high court.
Ndamase hopes the ascendancy of Yolisa will bring renewed hope for the unity of the royal family, the royal houses of AmaFaku and the mighty AmaMpondo nation.
“We hope that there will be unity within all the royal houses and the royal family. We hope we will speak with one voice,” Ndamase said.
“Unity is what we need here in the Mpondoland. It has been years and years here without any official king of the Eastern Mpondoland.
“Yes, names were being raised after King Zanozuko, but officially in government, there is now one who is king.
“So, there has to be a king now so that we can start working together as our forefathers have done so that Eastern Mpondoland and Western Mpondoland can be one family because, according to history, we are still one family.”
He said he was not involved in the identification of the king, but was only invited after the house of Sigcau said the process of identification was completed.
Nzululwazi said the Eastern Mpondoland kingdom now had a permanent king and no more acting royals.
“We want no regent, he will immediately take over the reins. There is only one king,” Nzululwazi said.
The Marhelane royal family lawyer, Nathi Ximbi, said Yolisa was a legitimate king and nobody should now claim to be an acting king.
The AmaMpondo royal family, which will have an AmaMpondo imbizo at Lusikisiki College of Education on Thursday, headed by acting king Dumelani Sigcau, said they opposed Yolisa and would take the matter to court.
Yolisa is not yet recognised as the king of AmaMpondo by the government.
Daily Dispatch
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