King Misuzulu Kazwelithini is making headlines after paying lobola for his third wife, Masesi Myeni, over the weekend in Jozini. The photos and videos from the negotiations have gained thousands of comments and reactions on social media.
The lobola ceremony took place in Makhonyeni village in Jozini, north of KwaZulu. The king was accompanied by the Zulu monarch’s traditional prime minister and other members of the Zulu royal house. It is reported that King Misuzulu paid 16 beasts and an undisclosed amount of money as part of the lobola.
In one of the videos, a truck carrying cows can be seen making its way to Masesi Myeni’s homestead, with onlookers cheering. During the ceremony, the king also gave Queen Masesi Myeni a jacket with money all over it.
Masesi Myeni, at 41 years old, will be the queen of the Emachobeni Royal Palace in Ngwavuma, north of KwaZulu-Natal. The royal palace has not had a queen for many years, but the late Queen Mantfombi Dlamini used to take care of the palace despite being the queen of Kwakhangelamankengane.
During the lobola ceremony, King Misuzulu expressed his gratitude to the Myeni family for working with the Zulu royal house. He acknowledged the difficulties in arranging the ceremony but thanked God, the Zulu royal senior members, and the Myeni ancestors for finally agreeing to the union.
Before marrying Queen Masesi Myeni, King Misuzulu had already taken two other wives.
In 2021, King Misuzulu married Queen Ntokozo Mayisela. The two had been in a long-term relationship before tying the knot. Queen Ntokozo Mayisela is not only a musician from Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal but also an international studies graduate. She studied in Jacksonville, Florida, USA.
In 2022, King Misuzulu took Queen Nozizwe Mulela as his second wife. Queen Nozizwe is a celebrated banking executive from Eswatini with a background in law. She holds a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Lesotho and did her LLB at Rhodes University. She also has a Master’s in Law degree (LLM) and a Master’s in Business Administration from Stellenbosch University and Stellenbosch Business School, respectively.
King Misuzulu’s father, King Goodwill Zwelithini, had a total of six wives. They included Queen Sibongile Dlamini, Queen Buhle Mathe, Queen Mantfombi Dlamini, Queen Jayne Ndlovu, Queen Nompumelelo Mchiza, and Queen Zola Mafu.
It seems that King Misuzulu is continuing the tradition of having multiple wives, as he now adds Queen Masesi Myeni to his royal household. The lobola ceremony has brought attention to the Zulu royal family once again, sparking discussions and reactions among the public.
As the king embraces his role and responsibilities, the world watches with curiosity and fascination, eager to see how he will navigate the complexities of his position and continue to honour the traditions of the Zulu people.
