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Message: [QUOTE="Nehanda, post: 26906, member: 2262"] South Africans buzz with talk about Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini asking courts for a divorce from his first wife, Queen Ntokozo kaMayisela. This breaks with deep customs among his traditional subjects. The action surprised many because Zulu culture accepts multiple wives but rejects the idea of ending marriages. Cultural expert Professor Gugu Mazibuko explains that people felt shocked when the king filed legal papers. The Zulu monarch guards ancient practices that view marriage as central to royal success. He holds only ceremonial power in modern South Africa yet maintains strong influence. The government provides him with millions of dollars yearly for his activities. Since taking the throne in 2021, the 50-year-old leader has faced numerous personal challenges that became public knowledge. King Misuzulu grew up outside South Africa in neighboring Eswatini and later studied in America. His older half-brother contested his right to rule through court battles. His relationship with his second wife appears troubled. His plans to marry a third woman met obstacles. Reports suggest he may have an interest in yet another princess. These matters remained private until he started divorce proceedings last December. Professor Mazibuko noted that records hint at one previous royal divorce during the last century. However, that situation remained hidden from public view. Traditionally, when royal marriages fail, the wife continues living at the royal homestead but separately. She receives proper care along with her children despite the relationship ending. The current situation breaks dramatically from this practice. The then-Prince Misuzulu married Ntokozo Mayisela shortly before becoming king after his parents died four years ago. They already shared two children. Professor Musa Xulu suggests the marriage happened quickly because he believed kingship required having a wife. Queen KaMayisela came from humble beginnings in a small mining community within KwaZulu-Natal province. Royal officials later announced plans for the king to wed another woman named Nomzamo Myeni. The first queen responded by launching legal action that delayed the ceremony. She argued that her husband needed to change their civil marriage into a traditional Zulu arrangement before taking another spouse. Otherwise, he would commit bigamy. The court rejected her claim because she had previously accepted the possibility of additional wives. [/QUOTE]

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