The Xhosa royal family says a claim by AmaXhosa princess NomaXhosa Sigcawu to the AmaXhosa throne has been dismissed, and will have no bearing on the coronation of King Zwelonke Sigcawu at Nqadu Great Place today.
At a media briefing, the royal family coronation preparation committee chairman, Lieutenant-General Derrick Mgwebi, who is a senior Tshawe clan chief, said it was all systems go for the cultural event.
Some 100 sheep, 20 cows, 10 pigs and numerous chickens had been slaughtered and thousands of litres of traditional umqobombothi beer had been brewed in preparation for the celebratory feast.
In 2010, NomaXhosa complained she was sidelined because she was a woman, but Mgwebi said both the Mndende and Gender commissions had dismissed her claim.
“Now there is no looming claim. All members of the royal family and houses of AmaXhosa and AmaTshawe are pulling together for the success of this event. The claim was dismissed a long time ago,” said Mgwebi.
In May 2010, amid preparations for king’s coronation, the princess made the startling claim to the kingship, causing the coronation to be postponed for five years until today.
NomaXhosa, who is the king’s aunt, believed she had a right to the throne of her nephew, King Zwelonke Sigcawu.
She said it was because she was a woman that family elders resolved to take the kingship down one generation rather than pass it to her, and she had been ignored and sidelined over the years by Tshawe house elders.
NomaXhosa said that when her father, King Zwelidumile Sigcawu, died in 1964, the year she was born, her step-brother King Xolilizwe Sigcawu, King Zwelonke’s father, ascended to the throne in 1965.
“When he died in 2005, the heir should have been me, because I am the first born from the great house. But because I am a female, I was ignored and even now I am sidelined,” she claimed.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch, NomaXhosa said she would not attend the coronation.
“I am very angry and disappointed, so much so, that I will not attend the coronation.
“I was not even formally told of it. I heard of it from the media. I was not even invited to a family caucus meeting.
“I am a senior royal family member and the aunt of Zwelonke, but it seems that AmaTshawe are not recognising me as a crucial family member.
“They continue to sideline me because I am a woman.”
Mgwebi disputed her claims, saying NomaXhosa, like other family members, were timeously informed about the coronation.
Cooperative and traditional affairs spokesman Mamnkeli Ngam said the event would be broadcast live on SABC2 and Umhlobo WeneneFM, and there would be a crossover on SABC2’s Morning Live.
Ngam said official proceedings would start at 10am. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
Claim by princess won’t stop coronation
The Xhosa royal family says a claim by AmaXhosa princess NomaXhosa Sigcawu to the AmaXhosa throne has been dismissed, and will have no bearing on the coronation of King Zwelonke Sigcawu at Nqadu Great Place today.
At a media briefing, the royal family coronation preparation committee chairman, Lieutenant-General Derrick Mgwebi, who is a senior Tshawe clan chief, said it was all systems go for the cultural event.
Some 100 sheep, 20 cows, 10 pigs and numerous chickens had been slaughtered and thousands of litres of traditional umqobombothi beer had been brewed in preparation for the celebratory feast.
In 2010, NomaXhosa complained she was sidelined because she was a woman, but Mgwebi said both the Mndende and Gender commissions had dismissed her claim.
“Now there is no looming claim. All members of the royal family and houses of AmaXhosa and AmaTshawe are pulling together for the success of this event. The claim was dismissed a long time ago,” said Mgwebi.
In May 2010, amid preparations for king’s coronation, the princess made the startling claim to the kingship, causing the coronation to be postponed for five years until today.
NomaXhosa, who is the king’s aunt, believed she had a right to the throne of her nephew, King Zwelonke Sigcawu.
She said it was because she was a woman that family elders resolved to take the kingship down one generation rather than pass it to her, and she had been ignored and sidelined over the years by Tshawe house elders.
NomaXhosa said that when her father, King Zwelidumile Sigcawu, died in 1964, the year she was born, her step-brother King Xolilizwe Sigcawu, King Zwelonke’s father, ascended to the throne in 1965.
“When he died in 2005, the heir should have been me, because I am the first born from the great house. But because I am a female, I was ignored and even now I am sidelined,” she claimed.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch, NomaXhosa said she would not attend the coronation.
“I am very angry and disappointed, so much so, that I will not attend the coronation.
“I was not even formally told of it. I heard of it from the media. I was not even invited to a family caucus meeting.
“I am a senior royal family member and the aunt of Zwelonke, but it seems that AmaTshawe are not recognising me as a crucial family member.
“They continue to sideline me because I am a woman.”
Mgwebi disputed her claims, saying NomaXhosa, like other family members, were timeously informed about the coronation.
Cooperative and traditional affairs spokesman Mamnkeli Ngam said the event would be broadcast live on SABC2 and Umhlobo WeneneFM, and there would be a crossover on SABC2’s Morning Live.
Ngam said official proceedings would start at 10am. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
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