The AmaMpondo Royal family has announced Silosohlanga kaDakhile Sigcau as the King of AmaMpondo aseQaukeni. He is the son of the late King Zanozuko Sigcau, who passed away in 2022.
The royal family held an imbizo at the Hewu Great Place in Flagstaff, where the announcement was made.
This development brings renewed hope for unity among the AmaMpondo nation, uniting both the Nyandeni and Qaukeni royal houses.
AmaMpondo aseNyandeni king Ndamase Ndamase says, “Unity is what we need here in Pondoland. It has been years and years here as having been any official king of the Eastern Pondoland. Yes, there were names being raised after King Zanozuko, but officially in government, there is now one who is king. So, there has to be a king now so that we can start working together as our forefathers have done so that Eastern Pondoland and Western Pondoland can be one family because, according to history, we are still one family.”
This announcement comes a month after Premier Oscar Mabuyane issued a statement recognising Prince Dumelani Sigcau from the AmaFaku Royal Family as the acting king of AmaMpondo aseQaukeni.
The AmaMpondo Royal Family says they are opposed to that.
AmaMpondo royal family legal representative Nathi Ximbi says, “My principals have noted the gazette and they have many questions that are too serious to be ignored about the gazette itself. The manner in which the appointment was made. One would remember that the matter was in court before, and the court made a ruling to the effect that the issue surrounding which party is the correct one to nominate the king should be dealt with by a specialised commission. And to that end, the matter was referred to the Mndende Commission.”
The AmaMpondo Royal family argues that the recognition of the acting king was not made in accordance with the recommendations of the Mndende Commission.
Ximbi says, “The Mndende Commission made recommendations to say the two opposing houses should merge and reconstitute into one so that they speak in unison in relation to who is going to become the king. That did not happen. Now what we saw happening is that a certain, I would say loosely, of course, a certain faction seemingly was able to go to the premier of the province and make recommendations, which recommendations the premier acted upon to appoint Prince Dumelani as the acting king of the Mpondo kingdom. Now that is the basis why my principals are saying they have a lot of issues, a lot of questions to consider, and the matter is very serious for them, and they do not own the appointment that has been made.”
Meanwhile, a person who claims to be the grandson of the late king Mandlonke Sigcau and his right-hand wife, Queen Mampofane, has also come forward.
Bheki Sigcau claims he is the rightful king and will take the matter to court.
Challenger Bheki Sigcau “They keep saying they are nominating and appointing, but in all that, I have never been consulted. I hear all that from the media. They use the Mzindlovu house in their shenanigans. Everybody claims to come from Mzindlovu, but they know the truth. The Amafaku royal family, as well as the AmaMpondo royal family, know that Mzindlovu is the house where king Mandlonke left mampofane when he passed away. magingqi was left at buhlanyanga in khubeni. Now, what they are doing does not sit well with me. I don’t know why the AmaMpondo kingdom doesn’t tell the truth.”
It is also believed that the AmaFaku Royal Family will, in the coming week, announce the king of AmaMpondo aseQaukeni.
