Zulu king expresses regret after video captures tirade against his wife

Regarded as the "lion of the nation," the Zulu king serves as the custodian of age‑old traditions that place matrimony and polygamy at the heart of royal success. Although his role in South Africa is largely ceremonial, he wields considerable influence and receives a yearly government‑funded allocation described as “respective cardinal dollars.” A recently circulated video sparked a sharp divide on social media. Some users accused the monarch of abusive and undignified conduct, while others criticized the queen for bringing private matters into the public sphere. South African writer Asanda Magaqa commented, “portion she would ne’er promote anyone to movie backstage moments, 'watching that video, I recognize wherefore she felt compelled to grounds it'.” She later posted on platform X: “No pistillate deserves to unrecorded similar that.” The footage also captured the king asserting that he attained the throne through witchcraft. King Misuzulu’s coronation followed a year‑long family dispute, during which certain relatives contended he was not the legitimate heir and claimed his father’s testament had been forged. Zulu society remains deeply patriarchal, with women frequently expected to adhere to traditional gender expectations. South Africa continues to record one of the highest rates of violence against women globally. In the previous year, the state labelled gender‑based violence a “national disaster.” The king’s marriage to Queen Myeni was postponed for several months last year while he addressed a matter involving his first wife, Queen Ntokozo kaMayisela. Queen kaMayisela sought a court injunction to stop the wedding, arguing that proceeding would constitute the offence of “bigamy” unless his civil marriage to her was first converted into a recognised Zulu union. The judge dismissed her application, noting that Queen kaMayisela had experienced a “turnaround” in cognition, having already consented to her husband taking additional wives. Additional reporting by Khanyisile Ngcobo.