Zulu king's wife to defend divorce action

As a result of what Zulu King Misuzulu KaZwelithini has called ‘a disintegrated marriage’, he has filed papers to institute divorce action against one of his wives. The papers filed in the High Court state that there are no assets and liabilities in the joint estate worth mentioning, and the parties have already divided their personal belongings between themselves, notes a News24 report. The queen, who is not named to protect the children, has filed a notice of intention to defend the divorce action. According to the king, the marriage has reached a state of disintegration with no reasonable prospect of being restored. ‘The parties have, on several occasions, experienced trouble with their marriage and tried to restore the relationship without success. The parties have not lived together as husband and wife for a continuous period of at least one year immediately prior to the date of the institution of the action,’ said the king in the court papers. The papers also outline spousal maintenance for the queen and the king's sole responsibility for the maintenance of the children. ‘The plaintiff (the king) tenders to the defendant (the queen) rehabilitative maintenance in the amount of R20 000 for a period of 12 months from the date on which the decree of divorce is granted.’ The king also seeks an order that the queen be liable for costs should she defend the divorce action.