Thembi Ndlovu

Thembi Ndlovu
Thembi Ndlovu
Born	Thembi Zulu
Died	Newcastle
Cause of death	Undisclosed
Known for	Being Goodwill Zwelithini's sister
Relatives	Mbonisi Zulu, Misuzulu Zulu

Princess Thembi Zulu-Ndlovu was the late King Goodwill Zwelithini's sister. She died on 8 April 2022. Princess Thembi Zulu-Ndlovu was one of the family members opposed to the installation of Prince Misuzulu as King. She was part of the faction that supported Prince Simakade Zulu ascension to the throne.

Background

Zulu-Ndlovu was a half-sister to the late King Goodwill Zwelithini and an aunt to King Misuzulu kaZwelithini.^[1]

Queen Mantfombi Poisoning Rumours

On 3 May 2021, Princess Thembi Ndlovu rejected rumours that they were implicated in the poisoning of the late Queen Mantfombi Dlamini, over the succession of the next monarch. She also denied that they were excluding AmaZulu Traditional Prime Minister, Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi from royal matters.

This came after Buthelezi claimed that some family members were holding secret meetings. Princess Thembi claimed that at times it is difficult to reach common ground with Buthelezi.^[2]

Goodwill Zwelithini Succession

Thembi Ndlovu rose to prominence in March 2021 when she called parallel press conferences in the run-up to the burial of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini, angering Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi, who was driving the funeral programme.

She contested King Misuzulu kaZwelithini's ascendancy to the Zulu throne. During the memorial service of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini, she raised eyebrows when she said only God knew who the next King of the Zulu nation would be.

That was the beginning of her challenge of King Misuzulu's ascendancy.

On 2 April 2022, she said that she attended Misuzulu kaZwelithini's pre-wedding ceremony (Ummbeso) in Newcastle, but she still did not recognise him as king.^[1]

Death

Thembi Ndlovu died on 8 April 2022. Senior AmaZulu Princess Thembi Zulu-Ndlovu has passed away at a Newcastle hospital. She was wheelchair-bound for years and was sickly and had been in and out of hospital.^[1]