Nombuso Zulu

Nombuso Zulu
Princess; Nombuso Zulu
Born	December 25, 1973 (age 50)
Nationality	South African

Princess Nombuso Zulu is the daughter of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini. She is now the owner of Durban-based Ilembe Catering Services.

Background

Princess Nombuso is King Zwelithini's eldest daughter from his first wife, Queen Sibongile MaDlamini Zulu of KwaKhethomthandayo palace.^[1]

Age

Nombuso Zulu was born on 25 December 1973.^[1]

Siblings

Princess Nombuso Zulu is the second born from her mother's side.

These are her siblings from her mother's side:

Prince Lethukuthula Zulu, the first-born child who died in 2020.
Pricess Ntombizosuthu Zulu-Duma, who became a businesswoman and co-owns Strategic Persuasions and Zamalwandle Transport Logistics with her husband. She is married to Mbongiseni Duma, a prominent businessman from Johannesburg
Princess Ntandoyenkosi Ngcaweni, born in 1982, serves as an Asset Manager at the Public Investment Corporation.
Princess Sinethemba Bati Zulu, the youngest. She studied International Relations at the University of Witwatersrand.

Marriage to Seshi Chonco

Princess Nombuso and her former husband Seshi Chonco had their white wedding in July 2005. Chonco delivered the ilobolo, which included 17 herd of cattle and R50 000 cash in 2003.

Chonco's younger sister, Thembeni, said at first King Zwelithini did not want Princess Nombuso to wed Chonco because the king thought Chonco was a commoner.

However, according to Thembeni, King Zwelithini was persuaded by Mangosuthu Buthelezi who told him that Chonco was a respected businessman and would be able to look after the king's daughter.^[1]

The couple divorced in 2007, with Chonco citing “irreconcilable differences”.^[2]

King Goodwill Zwelithini Succession

Nombuso Zulu approached the courts contesting the contents of her father’s will.^[3] She argued that the will may have been forged.

According to a statement released by MaDlamini loyalists and their legal counsel, the first wife of Goodwill Zwelithini was unhappy with the contents of his final will. As she is the only wife who married in a civil rites ceremony (as opposed to traditional ceremonies), the royal believes the power should have rested firmly in her hands.^[4]

Nombuso Zulu, her sister and mother Sibongile Dlamini-Zulu also approached the Pietermaritzburg high court for Misuzulu Zulu's coronation to be set aside.^[5]

Princess Nombuso is aligned with a faction in the royal family that prefers Prince Simakade Zulu for the throne.^[6]

Meeting With Misuzulu Zulu

Prince Misuzulu and Princess Nombuso had a meeting on Friday 25 June 2021 in what was described as a first step to finding a solution to the impasse regarding the succession of King Goodwill Zwelithini. In a letter written in isiZulu, Prince Misuzulu informed Mangosuthu Buthelezi who had advised him not to meet with Princess Nombuso, that he preferred an out-of-court settlement to the dispute to avoid having a court process that drags on for years.

After the meeting, Princess Nombuso said there was no bad blood between her and Prince Misuzulu. She said:

"We are family. It was just me and my brother talking, but the whole family is fully aware and in support of the dialogue, and they approve. We are not doing anything in hiding. The dialogue is a process for us to get to where we want to go."

^[6]