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Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Court Reporter
A BULAWAYO judge has ordered the appointment of a new independent executor in the estate of the late Nkulumane MP, Thamsanqa Mahlangu. after revoking a decision to engage a local woman as its administrator.

The ruling by Bulawayo High Court Justice Francis Bere follows an application by the widow of the late legislator, Ms Brenda Zaranyika, seeking an order to revoke the appointment of Ms Pretty Maphosa who was alleged to be the late MP’s aunt as the estate’s executor.

In a new twist to the feud that has been raging since Mahlangu’s death in October last year, Mrs Zaranyika said Ms Maphosa was not related to her late husband.

In papers before the court Ms Zaranyika, who is represented by Mr Dumisani Dube of Mathonsi Ncube Law Chambers, also said she wanted the Deputy Master of the High Court, Mr Raymond Antonio, to recuse himself from the matter.

She cited Ms Maphosa and the Deputy Master of the High Court as the respondents. Justice Bere interdicted Mr Antonio from involving himself in the affairs of the estate of the late MP.

Justice Bere also ordered Mr Antonio, in consultation with the Master of the High Court in Harare, to appoint an independent administrator to manage Mr Mahlangu’s estate. The judge said Mr Antonio should not interfere with the work of the executor who will be appointed.

“The first respondent (Ms Maphosa) be and is hereby removed as the executrix dative of the estate of the late Thamsanqa Mahlangu under DRB1146/15. The Deputy Master of the High Court should revoke letters of administration issued to Ms Maphosa within 24 hours of service of this order,” ruled the judge.

Ms Zaranyika, in her founding affidavit, said she was the deceased’s surviving spouse having married him customarily on April 28, 2007, and they were blessed with a son who is now seven years old.

Mahlangu was said to have had another child, a 17-year-old boy, with another woman. “After the burial of my husband, I requested on numerous occasions for the death certificate or a copy of it from the Registrar of Births and Deaths to no avail,” she said.

“Officials advised that Ms Maphosa had ordered them through Mr Tobaiwa Mudede (Registrar General) not to issue me with a copy of the death certificate as first respondent (Ms Maphosa) did not recognise me as the deceased’s wife. I sought legal advice and filed a court application under cover of case number 179/16 at the Magistrates Court which is still pending.”

Ms Zaranyika said on January 14 this year, she wrote a letter to the Deputy Master of the High Court advising him of her objection to the appointment of Ms Maphosa as the executor of her husband’s estate.

“Surprisingly on February 8, despite my objections to the appointment of first respondent as the executor, second respondent (Deputy Master of the High Court) fraudulently issued Ms Maphosa with letters of administration appointing her as the executrix dative of the estate of the late Thamsanqa Mahlangu,” she said.

— @mashnets