Zulu queen-to-be says wedding is taking place as planned

King Misuzulu kaZwelithini’s third queen-to-be, Nomzamo Myeni, has squashed media reports that her planned wedding with the monarch has been cancelled.

In a telephonic interview with TimesLIVE on Sunday, the queen said she knows nothing about her wedding being called off — or that all benefits and security assigned to her would be stopped.

“I know nothing about the letter that is said to have been written by the king containing reports that are making the rounds in the media that my wedding has been cancelled and that the benefits and my security have also been terminated,” she said.

She said as far as she was aware her wedding was scheduled to take place on January 26 at KwaKhangela royal palace in Ulundi is proceeding as planned.

The traditional wedding would be preceded by umkhehlo ceremony, planned to take place at Myeni’s home in Jozini on Friday January 24.

Zulu regiments (amabutho) commander Prince Vanana Zulu also told TimesLIVE the wedding was going ahead.

“I do not want to lie but what I know is that the planned wedding is proceeding,” he said.

It was earlier reported the king sent two letters on Saturday, one to the director-general in the KwaZulu-Natal premier’s office and another axing his right-hand man, Prince Simphiwe Zulu.

Both letters bore the king’s official letterhead, logo and signature. 

A publication that claimed to have spoken to the king reported that he burst into laughter and said: “Engingakusho nje ukuthi ngiymthanda umkami futhi ngizomshada ngenkani [All I can say is that I love my wife and will marry her by force].”

The king was further quoted as saying: “If people want to believe lies, that is their problem. Go tell those who want to go with the truth that I love my wife.”

Deputy traditional prime minister to the Zulu monarch, Inkosi Phathisizwe Chiliza, also confirmed there was nothing official calling off the wedding.

“I have only heard the rumours in the media that the king’s wedding has been cancelled,” he said.

He said the Zulu royal family had called a meeting on Monday where he hoped the matter would be discussed.

KwaZulu-Natal head of government communications Bongani Gina said the premier’s office has not yet received a letter from the king regarding media reports that he had called off his planned wedding or that the benefits assigned to Myeni were to be withdrawn.

An urgent interdict application filed by one of the king’s wives, who is trying to stop the planned wedding, will be heard at the Pietermaritzburg high court on Monday.

TimesLIVE