Court Declares Recognition of Zulu King Unlawful, Sparks Succession Battle

President Ramaphosa Criticized for Ignoring Objections, Ordered to Investigate Royal Succession Dispute

South African court has declared President Cyril Ramaphosa's recognition of Misuzulu kaZwelithini as the Zulu king unlawful, sparking a potential succession battle.
The court has ordered the government to investigate objections raised by some members of the Zulu royal family regarding the rightful heir to the throne.
Misuzulu ascended the throne after the death of his father, King Goodwill Zwelithini, but his appointment was contested by other family members.
President Ramaphosa has been criticized for not launching an investigation into the objections against the recognition of the new king, as required by South African law.
The Zulu king does not have formal executive power but is influential as a custodian of the ethnic group's traditional customs and land, controlling about 30% of the land in KwaZulu-Natal province.