By 
The love life of South Africa’s Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini has gripped the nation, scandalizing his traditionally conservative subjects as he challenges royal norms by seeking a divorce.
Despite polygamy being an integral part of Zulu culture, the king has taken the rare step of filing for divorce from his first wife, Queen Ntokozo kaMayisela.
This has shocked many, as divorce is not traditionally practiced among Zulu royals.
“Everyone was puzzled. People did not expect the king to go so far as to file for divorce,” said Gugu Mazibuko, a cultural expert from the University of Johannesburg, told the BBC.
“In Zulu culture, there is no divorce. A wife is not supposed to be sent away.”
As the custodian of long-standing traditions where marriage and polygamy signify royal strength, the king’s decision has drawn significant attention.
While his role in South Africa is largely ceremonial, he wields immense influence and receives a government-funded budget worth millions of dollars annually.
Since ascending to the throne in 2021, King Misuzulu has been embroiled in controversy. His coronation was challenged in court by his elder half-brother, who continues to contest his rule.
Meanwhile, his second marriage appears strained, his efforts to take a third wife stalled, and reports suggest a romantic involvement with a young princess.
While his personal affairs were once whispered about, they became public knowledge in December when he officially filed for divorce.
Historically, Zulu monarchs have rarely divorced, and when they did, it was kept secret.
“If a marriage does not work, the wife remains in the royal homestead, given her own space and cared for, but without a relationship with the king,” Mazibuko explained.
King Misuzulu married Queen Ntokozo just before his accession to the throne in what experts believe was a rushed decision. “It seems as though he felt he could not be king without a wife,” said Prof. Musa Xulu of the University of Zululand.
Queen Ntokozo, who comes from an ordinary family in KwaZulu-Natal, first caught the king’s eye as a cabaret singer in Durban. Their union was made official shortly before his coronation, and she sat beside him during the state ceremony in December 2022.
Now, her royal position is under threat. In court papers, King Misuzulu stated that they had not lived as husband and wife for over a year and that their marriage had irretrievably broken down.
His intention to wed a new bride, Nomzamo Myeni, further fueled the dispute. The palace had already paid lobola (bride price) in cattle, and a wedding was planned for late January.
However, Queen Ntokozo fought back, filing a court case to halt the wedding. She argued that since their marriage was a civil union, the king would be committing “bigamy” unless it was first converted into a traditional Zulu marriage.
Despite her legal challenge, the judge dismissed the case, noting that she had previously accepted her husband’s polygamous lifestyle.
The ruling also affirmed that King Misuzulu had already taken a second wife, Nozizwe kaMulela, the managing director of Eswatini Bank, in 2022.
The unfolding royal drama has not only divided public opinion but also tested the boundaries of Zulu tradition, leaving many questioning whether the king’s actions will redefine royal marriage customs.
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