STORY | The Battle For The Balobedu Throne

Khelobedu khere “Bana ba khosi re loba ka moka ka o re yo adho dulao khetulo a re motsebe”

Princess Masalanabo turned eighteen this year in January and is now ready to take over the throne. She was only few months old when her mother, Rain Queen Makobo Modjadji VI, died in 2005 leaving behind the young Princess and her elder brother Prince Lekukela Modjadji.

As a custom, The royal council proceeded to appoint a regent to look after the throne while the Princess matured. Once a regent was appointed the South African government requested the name of the person whom the regent will be acting on behalf of and the council submitted the name of Princess Masalanabo as the next to the throne. 

President Jacob Zuma immediately recognized Princess Masalanabo and informed the Balobedu people that the queen’s certificate of queenship is waiting for her to attain 18 years before it can be issued to as per the law.

However, In a surprising move, the fictionalised royal council decided to appoint Prince Lekukela as the ruler of the Balobedu people and relegated Princess Masalanabo to the position of Khadzi Khulu (great-aunt). Although some view this as a Patriarchal usurpation of the Modjadji dynasty, the council maintains that people do not understand the Balobedu history and culture. It relies on a Khelobedu saying – Bana ba khosi re loba ka moka ka o re yo adho dulao khetulo a re motsebe – which means that all children of the ruler are eligible to the throne.

In October last year Prince Lekukela’s faction held a traditional installation for him be installed as king at Khetlhakoni village. Princess Masalanabo’s guardians appoached the court to obtain an interdict to stop the ceremony but it was unsuccessful. A second application was filed to obtain an interdict to review the council’s initial decision to appoint Prince Lekukela as Khosikholo and the issue is expected to continue this year at the Gauteng High Court. 

Interestingly, the battle is set to take another form as one faction of the Balobedu Royal Council has already started preparations for the coronation of Her Majesty Queen-Elect Masalanabo Modjadji as the new rain queen amid a fierce court battle. The coronation is set to take place next week on Tuesday and the princess’s supporters have already requested a queenship certificate from the office of President Cyril Ramaphosa. #analyonline

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