Born Mpendulo Calvin Sigcawu 47 years ago, King Zwelonke will be officially inaugurated to the throne today as king of AmaXhosa.
He assumed the mantle of monarchy on January 24 2006 after the death of his father, King Mzikayise Xolilizwe Sigcawu on December 31 2005.
Xolilizwe died aged 79 after 40 years on the throne of AmaGcaleka of the Xhosa dynasty.
In 2010 Zwelonke was declared legitimate king of all AmaXhosa by President Jacob Zuma following a determination of the Commission on Traditional Leadership Disputes and Claims, also known as the Nhlapo Commission, which probed the authenticity of traditional leaders in South Africa.
He rules over four magisterial districts – Willowvale, Dutywa, Butterworth and Centane. He has 34 chiefs and 168 headmen/women. Thirty-four of his 40 traditional councils are headed by chiefs and four by headmen/women.
Born in Nqadu Great Place on April 4 1968, the oldest son of Xolilizwe and Queen Nozamile of iqadi (the Pillar of the Great House or the second wife), Zwelonke was, in accordance to Xhosa custom, adopted to the Great House of Queen Nondwe Sigcawu as her own son.
This was because of the health problems of Queen Nondwe’s only son, Prince Siseko’s (Nondoda), which rendered him incapable of becoming king. Thus Zwelonke was the only son who could rightfully take over the reins.
Aged eight he was whisked away to St Marks near Cofimvaba where he grew up under the care of respected businessman, Makeke Ngubo, the then Gcaleka Traditional Council acting chief.
He studied at St Marks Primary School, Arthur Mfebe High School in Cofimvaba and passed his matric at Jongilizwe High School in Tsolo.
He only returned to Nqadu Great Place to undergo traditional initiation, but later left.
He was 33 years old when Xolilizwe’s health began to take its toll on the man who was the country’s longest-serving king. Zwelonke returned home.
Upon his return in 2003, he was made the chief and head of Ebhotwe Traditional Council in Nqadu, indicating that he was being groomed to be the king.
His father had five wives and they are, in descending order of importance: Queen Nondwe of , Queen Nozamile of iqadi lendlu enkulu , Nogaweni of indlu yasekunene , Queen Nolusapho of iqadi lendlu yasekunene and Queen Nolitha of ixhiba .
Nondwe is a senior princess of AmaMpondo and daughter of Western Mpondoland King Tutor Ndamase of the Faku royal clan, while Nozamile is of the Madiba clan but not from a ruling house.
Xolilizwe had 11 children , five sons and six daughters.
l Queen Nondwe – Siseko and elder sister NomaGcaleka;
l Queen Nozamile – Zwelonke, Simphiwe and two older sisters Vuyiswa and Nontathu;
l Queen Nogaweni – Ahlangene and sisters Bukelwa, Thobeka and Sheila;
l Queen Nolusapho – Phandulwazi; and
l Queen Nolitha had no children.
NomaXhosa in 2010 made headlines claiming that she was the legitimate heir of the Xhosa throne.
She claimed that by virtue of being born from the Great House of Zwelidumile, she was supposed to be the head of the nation.
The Mndende Commission, where she lodged the claim, dismissed it and, subsequently, Xolilizwe took over because she was a woman.
Zwelonke has a 10-year-old daughter, Inathi NomaTshawe Sigcawu, from his first marriage to Nolwando. He is now married to Sive.
His predecessors were recognised only as paramount chiefs as the title of a king was previously reserved for British kings. However, their subjects recognised them as kings.
King Zwelonke’s coronation will be the first in South Africa since the dawn of democracy.
Although Zwelonke is the 22nd Xhosa monarch, he is the 10th in the lineage of Gcaleka – the great house of King Phalo. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
Zwelonke’s colourful journey to the throne
He assumed the mantle of monarchy on January 24 2006 after the death of his father, King Mzikayise Xolilizwe Sigcawu on December 31 2005.
Xolilizwe died aged 79 after 40 years on the throne of AmaGcaleka of the Xhosa dynasty.
In 2010 Zwelonke was declared legitimate king of all AmaXhosa by President Jacob Zuma following a determination of the Commission on Traditional Leadership Disputes and Claims, also known as the Nhlapo Commission, which probed the authenticity of traditional leaders in South Africa.
He rules over four magisterial districts – Willowvale, Dutywa, Butterworth and Centane. He has 34 chiefs and 168 headmen/women. Thirty-four of his 40 traditional councils are headed by chiefs and four by headmen/women.
Born in Nqadu Great Place on April 4 1968, the oldest son of Xolilizwe and Queen Nozamile of iqadi (the Pillar of the Great House or the second wife), Zwelonke was, in accordance to Xhosa custom, adopted to the Great House of Queen Nondwe Sigcawu as her own son.
This was because of the health problems of Queen Nondwe’s only son, Prince Siseko’s (Nondoda), which rendered him incapable of becoming king. Thus Zwelonke was the only son who could rightfully take over the reins.
Aged eight he was whisked away to St Marks near Cofimvaba where he grew up under the care of respected businessman, Makeke Ngubo, the then Gcaleka Traditional Council acting chief.
He studied at St Marks Primary School, Arthur Mfebe High School in Cofimvaba and passed his matric at Jongilizwe High School in Tsolo.
He only returned to Nqadu Great Place to undergo traditional initiation, but later left.
He was 33 years old when Xolilizwe’s health began to take its toll on the man who was the country’s longest-serving king. Zwelonke returned home.
Upon his return in 2003, he was made the chief and head of Ebhotwe Traditional Council in Nqadu, indicating that he was being groomed to be the king.
His father had five wives and they are, in descending order of importance: Queen Nondwe of , Queen Nozamile of iqadi lendlu enkulu , Nogaweni of indlu yasekunene , Queen Nolusapho of iqadi lendlu yasekunene and Queen Nolitha of ixhiba .
Nondwe is a senior princess of AmaMpondo and daughter of Western Mpondoland King Tutor Ndamase of the Faku royal clan, while Nozamile is of the Madiba clan but not from a ruling house.
Xolilizwe had 11 children , five sons and six daughters.
l Queen Nondwe – Siseko and elder sister NomaGcaleka;
l Queen Nozamile – Zwelonke, Simphiwe and two older sisters Vuyiswa and Nontathu;
l Queen Nogaweni – Ahlangene and sisters Bukelwa, Thobeka and Sheila;
l Queen Nolusapho – Phandulwazi; and
l Queen Nolitha had no children.
NomaXhosa in 2010 made headlines claiming that she was the legitimate heir of the Xhosa throne.
She claimed that by virtue of being born from the Great House of Zwelidumile, she was supposed to be the head of the nation.
The Mndende Commission, where she lodged the claim, dismissed it and, subsequently, Xolilizwe took over because she was a woman.
Zwelonke has a 10-year-old daughter, Inathi NomaTshawe Sigcawu, from his first marriage to Nolwando. He is now married to Sive.
His predecessors were recognised only as paramount chiefs as the title of a king was previously reserved for British kings. However, their subjects recognised them as kings.
King Zwelonke’s coronation will be the first in South Africa since the dawn of democracy.
Although Zwelonke is the 22nd Xhosa monarch, he is the 10th in the lineage of Gcaleka – the great house of King Phalo. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
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