Zulu King Misuzulu introduces his new bae as fiancée Nomzamo Myeni's wedding is called off: Everyone to pay lobola for the new mother of the nation!

The Zulu royal family has been introduced to a new potential bride for King Misuzulu kaZwelithini, just weeks after his wedding to fiancée Nomzamo Myeni was abruptly cancelled. Princess Sihle Mdluli from the Mdluli royal family in Mpumalanga is said to be in her early twenties and has been residing at one of the King's palaces in northeastern KwaZulu-Natal for the past two weeks.

Prince Gumbela Zulu, the King's representative, confirmed Princess Mdluli's presence, stating that she had been formally introduced to him and other members of the royal family. "Yes, she is currently in the royal kraal, and we are waiting for the King to give us direction as to whether she would become the mother of the nation," said Prince Zulu.

He explained the significance of this role, stating that while the King is entitled to marry multiple wives, one must be designated as the "mother of the nation," responsible for bearing the heir to the throne. The lobola (bride price) for this wife must be paid by the Zulu nation. "Once the King and royal family have satisfied themselves that she is fit for the purpose, he will then ask me or his traditional prime minister to ask for contributions from his subjects to pay the lobola," Prince Zulu added.

According to a royal family source, Princess Mdluli was present at the final ritual of the Umkhosi Wokweshwama ceremony, held recently at the new palace, Emashobeni. She was reportedly among a group of women wearing Ndebele traditional attire and performing traditional dances, although her presence went largely unnoticed. The source further revealed that the Mdluli royal family initiated the introduction to foster a stronger relationship with the Zulu nation.

Meanwhile, sources within the royal house suggest that Nomzamo Myeni, the King's fiancée whose wedding was called off just a week before it was scheduled, is likely distressed by these developments. The wedding was set to be his third. City Press understands that a delegation was sent to Myeni's home with a cow as a "peace offering" for the cancellation.

The source explained the process of "ukumisa iduku," which occurs when a Zulu man approaches a woman for marriage, sometimes indirectly through her elders. "In agreement, you don’t talk to him; you uyomisa iduku [accept the proposal] by going to the man’s home," the source stated.

The source added that it was over for Myeni. "It means the time the king tried to kick her out, he knew that people were coming. [But] … it means she was tipped off by someone because she came rushing (to the royal home) while they were still there. She saw everything, and that is when she started fighting. This woman is just putting herself through hell."

The insider said that, before cancelling the wedding, the king had kept on saying that he would not marry Myeni. The source further shared that, although Myeni was seen seated next to the king at the 146th anniversary of the Battle of Isandlwana in Nquthu last month, she had arrived alone.

Before the wedding was cancelled, insiders revealed that the king would be in Eswatini on the day of his supposed wedding to fulfil some traditional rituals. Indeed, the king went to Eswatini.

An insider said, before the king left, he allegedly kicked Myeni out of the royal house, but she came back.

Another insider confirmed that Myeni was adamant that she was going nowhere, also confirming that there was a new woman in the king’s life. The source also shared that Myeni, however, still had her security detail.

The source said: "There is a new woman, and the king does all the ups and downs with her. He even took her with him to Eswatini. But she is not the usual type he goes for."

The King's visit to Eswatini last month, coinciding with the cancelled wedding weekend, was also shrouded in complications. According to a royal house source, the King was unable to complete his rituals due to sudden illness and had to cut the trip short. The Eswatini family reportedly expressed their displeasure, as traditional beer and cows had already been prepared.

The King is said to have returned to Eswatini on 7 February, accompanied by Princess Mdluli, to introduce her to the family and complete the rituals. They returned on Tuesday.

Adding another layer to the complex situation, sources indicate that King Misuzulu continues to visit Queen Ntokozo kaMayisela Zulu, from whom he is currently seeking a divorce, having filed papers at the Pietermaritzburg High Court last month.

KwaZulu-Natal University-based cultural expert, Professor Sihawu Ngubane, offered insight into the historical context of such arrangements. He explained that exchanging daughters to marry a king or chief has been a long-standing practice among different tribes, often used by weaker tribes to forge alliances and neutralise potential aggressors.

"This is historical. Even in the biblical times. King Solomon’s wives were mainly princesses from other tribes. Since the Israelites were a powerful and feared nation, weaker tribes wanted protection and traded with their girls to achieve peace and protection," said Ngubane.

Ngubane added that the process was also done for commercial purposes where a poor tribe would want to smooth trading relations with the mineral-rich tribes.

Adding to the internal drama, it has emerged that Myeni allegedly fired the King's long-serving male chef almost a month ago and temporarily took over the cooking duties before hiring a new female chef.

"According to tradition, the king is not supposed to be cooked for by a woman because she goes through menstruation. But now MaMyeni has taken over, and she is calling the shots," the source revealed.