Minister eyes UK royal succession model

Co-operative Governance & Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa says he will prioritise bringing stability to South Africa’s kingdoms by encouraging royal families to look to the British model to avoid conflicts over succession. Hlabisa – who is president of the Inkatha Freedom Party – told the Sunday Times that the country could avoid such disputes if royal families recorded their family trees and everyone agreed on the succession plan from the onset. A number of kingdoms are entangled in succession disputes as families wrangle over the rightful heir to the throne. The Zulu monarch, King Misuzulu kaZwelithini, is facing a court challenge from some members of his family who are questioning his suitability for the throne. ‘For example, the matter of the Zulu kingdom is before the court of law,’ Hlabisa said. ‘We will wait for it to unfold, and the Ministry’s job is to recognise what is applicable as to who is on the throne. We will wait for the courts to run their course and this approach will be applicable to any throne that is being disputed.’ Hlabisa suggested that a family tree structure should be drawn up and preserved to avoid legal wrangles over thrones, and referred to the British monarchy as one to take notes from. ‘We are giving a very bad reflection of the royalty in our country the way these matters are ventilated in courts, yet each family knows what should happen,’ he said. Hlabisa said his Ministry would also look at the Khoi-San kingdoms, which have recently also experienced instability.