The Modjadji Royal Council says its decision to identify the next monarch of Balobedu nation and set an inauguration date was a part of custom and informing the people so they can prepare for the ceremony.
The council was responding to a court challenge by ANC MP Mathole Motshekga, who has dragged the Modjadji royalty and regent Mpapatla Modjadji to court over the decision to identify Prince Lekukela as the next king of Balobedu nation, who will be inaugurated in October 2022.
Motshekga, who is challenging the matter in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, accused the royal council and the regent of depriving the Rain Queen in waiting Masalanabo her birthright and inheritance to spite him.
The royal family and council announced in May that it will be inaugurating Prince Lekukela, 25, instead of his younger sister Masalanabo,16.
Motshekga was granted custody of Masalanabo in the Randburg magistrate's court in 2005 following the death of her father David Mogale, who took her just after her late mother, Rain Queen Makobo, was buried in 2005 and went into hiding with her.
The royal council has asked the court to dismiss Motshekga's application that seeks to reverse and set aside its decision to identify a male ruler instead of a female as per the Balobedu custom.
Regent Mpapatla, the maternal uncle of Masalanabo, opposed the application, saying “it is frivolous and vexatious and should be dismissed”.
He said the stage at which the identification of Lekukela is at renders Motshekga’s application legally incompetent.
“It is the royal family that is endowed with the Right to identify a person who qualifies to be appointed a queen or king. The entitlement of the royal family is limited to identification of a person and not the appointment of a king, until the president approves the person identified there is no appointment of anybody as king or queen,” he said.
He added that the family, through the royal council, has made submission to the president for the appointment of Prince Lekukela as the next king.
“The royal family has provided reasons for the identification of Lekukela and also gave reasons for the withdrawal of the identification of Masalanabo as the next queen. We also provided reasons for the disqualification due to customary law and practices of the Balobedu kingdom and royal family which require certain rituals to be performed to the would-be next king or queen,” said Mpapatla.
He denied that the royal council and family jumped the gun by announcing the inauguration date of the male ruler before government could approve the candidate. “It is our custom that when we identify the next queen or king we issue the name and date of the inauguration. We do so to inform our nation so they can start preparing for the ceremony.”
In his founding affidavit, Motshekga said there was no rationale connection between the decision and reason for the royal nation and regent Mpapatla when reviewing or changing the decision to appoint Masalanabo.
“This is more so because judging from the press statement released [on] May 17 and interviews that were conducted, one can deduce from their decision that the only basis that prompted them to deprive Queen-elect Masalanabo her birthright [and] inheritance was due to being spiteful over me than to follow customary law,” he said.
Motshekga further challenged the royal council to prove that Masalanabo was not initiated as one of the reasons disqualifying her from ascending to the throne.
“I wish to dispel the notion that Masalanabo is not fit to ascend to the throne because she had been initiated and was initiated by the most qualified person in the royal house. I did take the Queen-elect to Julia Mabale for initiation during school holidays and during rain-making ritual ceremonies at Maolwe Royal House,” he said.
Motshekga said he is acting on behalf of Masalanabo to protect her by challenging the unlawful decision taken by the royal nation and regent to deprive her of the Right to ascend to the throne as the Queen of Balobedu.
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