National
Mixed reactions to legal dispute over VhaVenda crown─── 05:30 Mon, 03 Dec 2018
The subjects of the Vhavenda King, Toni Mphephu Ramabulana in the Vhembe District of Limpopo, have expressed mixed reactions over the kingship dispute currently being heard in the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein.
Princess Masindi Mphephu Ramabulana wants the SCA to declare invalid the customary law rule of male primogeniture in traditional leadership.
Some community members say King Mphephu Ramabulana is the right person to lead the Vhavenda tribe, while others are in favour of Masindi.
Others say kingship disputes cannot be resolved by the courts. The family is divided on the matter.
Last week the spokesperson of the office of King, Makonde Mathivha, says the matter of Kingship as to who should be the King or not is decided by the royal family not by the courts.
“His majesty didn’t approach the court for any hearing he has been called because there are some claimants who approached the High Court.”
Lawyer for the president and Co-operative Governance Minister, Norman Arendse, has submitted that Princess Masindi Mphephu’s application should be dismissed with costs because it is based on assumptions. Arendse says Princess Masindi never lodged a dispute with the Commission on Traditional Leadership, the Minister or with former President Jacob Zuma.
