King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu, popularly known as King Zwelithini, had fourteen sons with his six wives in his lifetime. The Zulu nation king had one son with his first wife, five sons with his second wife, and five sons with his third wife. The late King’s fourth and fifth wives gave him one son each, while his sixth wife gave him a child, a son.
Besides his sons, King Zwelithini was blessed with twelve daughters from five of his wives. He began his reign on September 17, 1968, and was coronated on December 3, 1971. The Zulu revered traditional ruler passed on March 12, 2021, at age 72.
Who Are King Zwelithini’s Sons?
King Zwelithini lived a fulfilled life as he was surrounded by over twenty children from his loins until he drew his breath. He had both adult and younger sons at the time of his death.
Let’s get to know them.
1. Prince Lethukuthula Zulu
Prince Lethukuthula Zulu was the first son of King Goodwill. He had him with his first wife, Queen Sibongile Dlamini (born Sibongile Winifred Dlamini), of Kwa-Khethomthandayo Royal House, Nongoma. The King and maDlamini tied the knot on December 27, 1969, at St Margaret’s Church, Nongoma.
Lethukuthula was born in the year 1970. He sadly passed away before his father, precisely on November 6, 2020. Security guards found him dead in his Northwold, Johannesburg home at Graceland residential complex.
Five people named Tshefogatso Moremane, Margaret Koaile, Portia Mmola, Gontse Tlhoele, and Dakalo Mbedzi were arrested for being involved in the murder. The prince is said to be a businessman who had operations in Gauteng.
However, there is no record of his education or personal life (it is unknown if he was married or dating at the time of his death). Again, it’s unclear if he had children, and he was not involved in any sort of scandal publicly before his passing.
Lethukuthula is survived by his mother and four sisters named:
- Princess Nombuso Zulu (born 1973). She is the owner of Durban-based Ilembe Catering Services.
- Ntombizosuthu Ka Zwelithini Duma (born 1979): A businesswoman and co-owner of Strategic Persuasions and Zamalwandle Transport Logistics. She is married to a Johannesburg-based businessman called Mbongiseni Duma.
- Princess Ntandoyenkosi Ka Zwelithini Ngcaweni (born 1982): She is an Asset Manager at the Public Investment Corporation (PIC). She is the wife of Busani Ngcaweni, who headed the office of the former Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, Kgalema Motlanthe.
- Princess Sinethemba Bati Zulu (born 1989): Sinethemba is currently pursuing a degree in International Relations at the University of Witwatersrand.
2. Prince Phumuzuzulu
Prince Phumuzuzulu is King Goodwill’s son with his second wife, Queen Buhle KaMathe– Phumuza. His birth details are not available for public consumption. However, the prince was named after his great grandfather King Phumuzululu kaDinuzulu, son of King kaCetshwayo.
Phumuzuzulu is reportedly the heir of Enyokeni Palace, the historical place where his father hosted most cultural events in the Zulu nation, including the reed dance. His mother was born in the Kwa-Dlamahlahla Royal House, Nongoma, in 1951.
There is no available information about Phumuzuzulu’s educational background and career. It’s not known if he is married with kids, and he has never been involved in any form of controversy as a public figure.
The King’s death left the prince devastated, as it is with everyone in the royal home. However, Queen Buhle’s first son is not seriously involved in the succession as some of his brothers. The royal home was divided during the succession battle, but Phumuzuzulu was not in the center of the tussle, and it’s not known which of his brothers he supported then.
Prince Phumuzuzulu has two sisters named:
- Princess Sibusile Zulu (born 1972).
- Princess Nandi Zulu (born 1977); She is married to Acting Deputy Paramount Chief of the Thembu from 2000 & Chief of the Matye’ngqina Traditional Authority Area, Chief Mfundo Bovulengwa Mtirara (born March 25, 1973).
3. Prince Shlobosenkosi Zulu
King Goodwill and Queen Buhle had Prince Shlobosenkosi Zulu in the year 1988. He is a stranger to the spotlight, just like his elder brother. However, he attended Kearsney College in Botha’s Hill, Durban, but further details about his education and profession are shrouded in mystery.
It’s unknown if he has tied the knot, currently dating, or has kids. The King’s passing left a huge vacuum in Sholbosenkosi’s life, but the prince didn’t make any public comment or publicly back any faction during the succession tussle.
No one knows his favorite candidate for the throne then. And since King Goodwill’s successor was unveiled, Shlobosenkosi has kept a distance from the media. He appears to be very focused on other things and not matters pertaining to the throne.
4. Prince Nhlanganiso Zulu
Ndlunkulu Buhle KaMathe and the late Zulu king many years ago. He is their eldest male child. Information about his birth, educational background, and occupation is not available for public consumption.
However, the prince is happily married to Ndlunkulu Wandile Mkhize, and together, they have three kids. Zulu’s wife was born in Pietermaritzburg, and the two got wedded at an Anglican Church in Nongoma. Before their marriage, Wandile was working as a communications officer at the Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Department.
His father’s death was devastating because of their closeness and excellent father-son relationship. Nhlangansio is a Tuberculosis survivor and ambassador in the country. He was diagnosed with TB in 2010, leading him to spend 3 months in a Durban hospital. One of his lungs was eventually removed.
The prince has been at the frontline of the TB campaign and awareness in the country. He has visited many places and met prominent people both in South Africa and across the continent on the need to create more awareness and encourage them to get tested for early detection of deadly bacterial infection.
The prince hasn’t been involved in any form of scandal. As a member of the royal household, he was involved in several meetings that pertained to the succession. However, the particular person he supported for the throne is not publicly known.
5. Prince Buzabazi
Prince Buzabazi is the fourth son of King Zwelithini and Queen Buhle. He kept a low profile on his career until after his father’s death, when he was thrust into the limelight due to his involvement in the succession tussle.
Prince Buzabazi was one of the late’s King’s sons who was put forward as the likely candidate to take over from the King by a royal faction. However, in the long run, his brother was favored as the new leader of the Zulu nation.
Buzabazi, for the record, was among those who were saddened by his father’s will. He was part of those who insisted that some signatures on his father’s will were not genuine. He vehemently challenged the will. There is no news about where he is now and what he does for a living. It’s not known if he’s married with kids or still single.
6. Prince Butho Zulu
Butho was the youngest child of Queen Buhle and late King Goodwill. Unfortunately, he died following complications of an undisclosed illness in September 2018. His passing affected the royal house because he was still a young man.
7. Prince Misuzulu Zulu
Prince Misuzulu, now King Misuzulu, is the first son of “Great Queen” Mantfombi Dlamini and now the third-oldest surviving son of King Zwelithini. He was born in Kwahlabisa, KwaZulu-Natal on September 23 1974. He is currently married and shares two children with his wife, Ntokozo Mayisela, and another kid with Princess Wezizwe Sigcau of amaMpondo royalty.
Misuzulu Sinqobile Hlomesakhishlangu kaZwelithini’s career profile before his ascension to the throne is available for public consumption. However, he attended St. Charles College, Pietermaritzburg. He also holds a degree in International Studies from Jacksonville, Florida.
Zulu’s mother is late Queen Mantfombi Dlamini, of Kwa-Khangelamankengane Royal House, Nongoma. She was also the sister of King Mswati III and the daughter of Sobhuza II of Swaziland.
Born in 1953, Montfombi got married to the late King Goodwill in 1977. She was appointed the acting regent of the Zulu nation by the King in his will and was given the authority to appoint the next King after the three-month mourning period.
Unfortunately, the Queen died 7 weeks after her husband’s death, precisely on April 29, 2021, from an undisclosed illness. However, in her own will, the Great Queen appointed her first son Misuzulu as the next King of the Zulu Nation.
The development did not sit down with some people in the royal household, and some efforts were made to deny then prince Misuzulu the elevated position. However, Ndlunkulu Mantfombi’s son eventually began his reign as the King of Zulu on May 7, 2021. Before his elevation, the King did not make headlines for any wrong reason.
King Misuzulu has three sisters:
- Princess Ntandoyesizwe Zulu (born in 1976): She was married to the late Prince Oupa Moilwa, Chief of the Bahurutshe BagaMoilwa, at Enyokeni Royal Palace, Nongoma, on April 13, 2002.
- Princess Nomkhosi (born in 1978): She is currently engaged to Melusi Moyo. She attended The Wykeham Collegiate.
- Princess Bukhosibemvelo (born in 1985): She is married to Sipho Nyawo, who paid 120 cows as part of her ilobolo. She attended Epworth School, Pietermaritzburg.
8. Prince Bambindlovu (Makhosezwe)
The late Queen Mantfombi gave birth to Bambindlovu in 1981. He is her second son. The prince, who attended St. Charles College, Pietermaritzburg, is an artist, an interior designer, and a farmer.
Further information about his personal life, career, and whereabouts is unknown. He was deeply saddened by his father’s father, but Bambindlovu was not at the front of the succession battle.
He supported his elder brother for the throne and was one of those who expressed delight to the court that his brother was enthroned as the next King. While the battle lasted, he was actively involved in it. He has not been involved in any scandal as well.
9. Prince Lungelo
He is the third son of the late Queen Mantfombi. Prince Lungelo was born in 1984. However, details about his birth, profession, and current whereabouts are unknown. The prince attended Michaelhouse boarding school in KwaZulu-Natal.
Lungelo both of his parents within two months; it was indeed a big blow to him. He hasn’t been caught in any sort of public drama, scandal, or controversy. He was not so much involved in the succession battle.
He hasn’t publicly commented about the succession race and the royal household’s affairs. The prince is a very private individual, and it’s not clear if he is married or dating at the moment.
10. Prince Mandlesizwe
Prince Mandlesizwe was born as the fourth son of his mother, the “Great Queen” Mantfombi, in 1990 in South Africa. Detailed information about his personal life, education, and current whereabouts are under the radar currently. He serves in the force; however, further information about his career is unknown.
Prince Mandlesizwe is not always in the spotlight. It is difficult to tell anything about his life. He hasn’t made headlines in the past for any wrong reason.
11. Prince Simangaye
Born in 1991 by Ndlunkulu Mantfombi, Prince Simangaye is the youngest son of the late Queen. There is no information anywhere about him and what he is up to right now. His educational background and personal life are shrouded in mystery currently.
12. Prince Sihlangu Zulu
Prince Sihlangu Zulu came from the late King Goodwill’s intimate relationship with his fourth wife, Thandekile “Thandi” Jane Ndlovu of Linduzulu Royal House, Nongoma. There is no available information about Thandi’s only son except for the fact that he is an artist that is professionally known as zulusoul.
However, there is every possibility that he was born in the early 1990s considering the period his parents got married. The late King and his fourth wife got married in 1988, and the prince has only one sibling, Princess Mukelile Zulu. Her birth details are not known as well. He has one sister named Princess Mukelile Zulu.
13. Prince Nhlangano Zulu
Nhlangano’s mother, Nompumelelo Mchiza of oSuthu Royal House, Nongoma, is the fifth wife of late King Zwelithini. The exact date and year Nhlangano was born are not known. However, he is presumed to have been born in the 1990s.
There is no information about his educational background and what he is up to currently. His parents got married on July 25, 1992, in South Africa. The prince, who is the middle child in his family, has two sisters;
- Princess Nqobangothando Zulu
- Princess Cebo Zulu
14. Prince Nhlendlayenkosi Zulu
Prince Nhlendlayenkosi Zulu is the youngest prince in the Zulu nation’s royal home. He came from the late King’s intimate relationship with his sixth wife, Zola Zelusiwe Mafu of Ondini Royal House, Ulundi.
He is the only child of his mother. His mother, who was born in 1986, was betrothed to King Goodwill Zwelithini in 2006, and in 2014, the two legally sealed their relationship by getting married.
There is no information about his birth, education, and life. He is out of the spotlight, and there’s no way he could have been involved in the race for the throne, nor have they been publicly involved in any controversy or scandal.
Which Son is King Zwelithini’s Successor?
The third oldest surviving son of late King Goodwill Zwelithini, Prince Misuzulu Zulu, succeeded him as the new King of the Zulu nation. Historians and cultural experts had predicted that Misuzulu would be the one to ascend the throne immediately after his father’s demise.
This was because he was the son of the late King’s Great Wife, a position that gave him an edge over the late King’s 28 other children. Misuzulu’s mother, Queen Mantfombi Dlamini, of Kwa-Khangelamankengane Royal House, Nongoma, was the “Great Wife” because she was from royalty herself, being a member of the Swazi Royal Home.
Misuzulu’s mother was the daughter of Sobhuza II of Swaziland and sister of King Mswati III. He was publicly declared the new King on May 7, 2021, at the public reading of his late Queen’s will, wherein she appointed him as the next King of the Zulu nation.
The late Queen was appointed regent and was given the authority to appoint a new king by late King Goodwill in his will. Unfortunately, the Queen died 7 weeks after the King’s demise from an unspecified illness without publicly appointing the new King.
The Late King’s First Wife And Her Daughters Challenged The Validity Of Will And Also Tried To Legally Stop Misuzulu’s Coronation
The King’s first wife and her two daughters, Princess Ntandoyenkosi and Princess Ntombizosuthu, had earlier filed court papers in the Pietermaritzburg High Court, challenging the validity of the King’s will based on what they claimed was a fraudulent signature.
Misuzulu’s announcement as the new King was greeted with protest from some royal family members. However, King Misuzulu, who was also present at the reading of the will, was immediately whisked away by a security detail from Eswatini and the South African Police Service.
Again, Princess Ntandoyenkosi and Princess Ntombizosuthu, on May 21, 2021, went back to court to interdict the coronation of the new King. Their court papers, particularly, sought an order forbidding the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal from taking any steps to formally recognize the son of the “Great Wife” as King of the Zulu nation or preventing the president from issuing him the certificate of recognition.
Official recognition of a king or Queen in the country is usually done by issuing a presidential certificate of recognition and publication of the recognition in the Government Gazette, in terms of section 9(2)(b) of South Africa’s Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Act.
The Princesses Lost The Coronation Case In The Long Run
Misuzulu’s ascension to the throne was legally endorsed on March 2, 2022, when the High Court dismissed the princesses’ challenge to Misuzulu’s succession to the throne, thereby giving the organizers the go-ahead order to coronate the new King.
The president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, on March 16, 2022, issued the certificate of recognition of Misuzulu as King of AmaZulu. Queen Sibongile Dlamini-Zulu’s application seeking 50% of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini’s estate was dismissed.
Who Is King Zwelithini’s First Son?
The King’s first son was Prince Lethukuthula Zulu, the son of late King Goodwill’s first wife, Sibongile Winifred Dlamini of Kwa-Khethomthandayo Royal House, Nongoma. Lethukuthula was born in the year 1970.
The eldest son in the royal household sadly passed away in September 2020 at the age of 50. Security guards found him dead at his home in a Northwold, Johannesburg, residential complex.
Five people were arrested in connection to his death. The attempt by four of the accused to secure bail was declined. However, only one of them (Dakalo Mbedzi) was granted bail. The names of the accused are Tshegofatso Moremane, Margaret Koaile, Portia Mmola, and Gontshe Tlholoe.
On March 17, 2022, the four women charged with the murder of Prince Lethukuthula Zulu appeared in the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg. They are currently facing charges of murder, theft, and possession of drugs. A trial date is expected to be set when next the court sits.
During one of their court appearances, the women claimed that the prince and his friend (who was found sleeping when the security guards came in) had taken cocaine during the night of the death. But the prosecutor pointed out that the only found at the crime scene were insulin needles because prince Lethukuthula was diabetic.
The late prince and his friend reportedly met the women at a News Cafe in Randburg. The two are said to have also bought them drinks before taking them to the prince’s house to continue drinking. Before his death, the prince kept a low profile on his personal life and career. However, some reports have it that he was a businessman who had operations in Gauteng.
Prince Phumuzuzulu Is Now The Surviving First Son Of The Late King Zwelithini
Prince Phumuzuzulu, the first son of the late King’s second wife, Buhle KaMathe-Phumuza, is the first surviving son of the late monarch. King Zwelithini had only one son with his first wife, and following Lethukuthula’s demise, Phumuzuzulu now assumes the position of the first son.
As mentioned earlier, there is no available information about Phumuzuzulu online. It’s unknown if he is married, and his profession is also shrouded in mystery. However, it is said that he was named after his great grandfather King Phumuzululu kaDinuzulu, son of King kaCetshwayo.
