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Mashudu Netsianda Senior Court Reporter
THE late Chief Khayisa Ndiweni’s youngest son, Nhlanhla Felix, has filed opposing papers challenging his elder brother’s application seeking to block his ascendancy to the throne.

Joram, Chief Ndiweni’s eldest son – a veterinary doctor – filed summons at the High Court three months ago seeking the annulment of Nhlanhla’s appointment as chief on grounds that it was in violation of Nguni culture as well as provisions of the Traditional Leaders Act.

Nhlanhla, an engineer, is the 11th child in a family of 12 and Joram contends that Nguni culture and tradition dictates that the chieftainship goes to the eldest son, hence he is seeking that his young brother’s appointment be declared null and void to pave way for his installation as the substantive Chief Ndiweni of Ntabazinduna.

When their mother Agnes recommended Nhlanhla to be the successor, the two brothers were based in England.

Joram has described his younger brother’s appointment as “bogus” and “abominable” and said Umguza District Administrator Ennety Sithole acted on wrong information from his mother, unnamed sister and “questionable relatives” in consultation with friends.

Nhlanhla was cited as the defendant together with the DA, the Minister of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Dr Ignatius Chombo and President Mugabe.

In his papers, Nhlanhla, through his lawyer, Stephen Collier of Webb, Low and Barry, said his appointment was in line with the Nguni customs and tradition.

He further argued that his appointment as Chief Ndiweni should not be set aside, saying it was in line with the Traditional Leaders Act.

“It is averred that my appointment as chief was proper in terms of the law, customs, norms and practice of the Nguni,” he said.

Nhlanhla also challenged some of the words and phrases used by his brother in his summons, saying they were “frivolous and vexatious.”

“The use of the phrases like ‘done by people with no sense of good governance and appreciation of Nguni culture’ and ‘government that is anti-people and motivated by malice, greed and personal issues outside the provisions of the law’ is frivolous and vexatious and must be struck out,” he said.

Chief Ndiweni’s widow, Agnes, crossed swords with her first and second born sons, Joram and Douglas, when she allegedly led the bid for her son, Nhlanhla, to succeed his father.

The wrangle over the chieftaincy that was left vacant following the death of Chief Khayisa Ndiweni in 2010 has left the Ndiweni family divided.

The late Chief Ndiweni was a direct descendant of Gundwane Ndiweni, the first Ndebele paramount chief who led a Nguni group separate to that of King Mzilikazi into Zimbabwe in 1838.