TENSION AS PRINCESS’S SON APPOINTED LAMGABHI ETIYENI CHIEF

LAMGABHI ETIYENI - In a shocking revelation, a grandson of the late Chief Mabhedla Hlophe has been appointed as the chief’s successor at Lamgabhi Etiyeni.

LaMgabhi Etiyeni is situated at the top of Mdzimba Mountain between Ezulwini and Dlangeni. 

This comes exactly 23 years after attempts to replace the late chief failed. 

Two candidates were appointed for the position a few years after the death of Chief Mabhedla. 

The appointed candidates were Musa Hlophe, who, according to the residents close to the matter, was appointed by the late chief before his demise. 

The appointment of Musa was confirmed by several elders of the area. 

As a result, the elders stated that acting on the late chief’s instructions; they performed all the rituals required for one to be a chief’s successor.

The rituals included slaughtering a cow, after which bile (inyongo) is fastened around the wrist of the candidate. 

The candidate is also given the late father’s ruling ring known as lijiva, as a sign of appointment. 

In the case of LaMgabhi Etiyeni, the residents stated that the late chief’s ruling ring was inserted on Musa’s finger as a sign that he was the successor of the late chief. 

However, the residents mentioned that Musa’s blessing by the King was aborted at the eleventh hour without a clear explanation from the late Sobovu Hlophe, an acting chief, who was responsible for presenting the candidate to the King for final blessings.

“Sobovu Hlophe informed us that Musa would be considered in the next King’s blessings and that was the end of the story until he (Sobovu) died. A few days later, the Hlophe family was divided and there was a faction which suggested that Sigulumba, an elder son of the late chief, should succeed his father,” alleged one of the elders close to the matter.

The elders stated that the faction unveiled as the late chief’s successor Sigulumba in a broad daylight meeting. 

They claimed that all the required rituals were performed. 

At the time, the residents mentioned that Musa still had the late chief’s ruling ring.

Installation 

The area’s residents stated that while expecting progress concerning the installation of the new chief of the area, they saw a delegation from the traditional authorities (BakaNgwane), who came to present a third candidate at the royal kraal last Saturday. 

Information gathered from the residents was to the effect that the new candidate was the son of the late chief’s son, Mphatsi Hlophe. 

Worth noting is that Mphatsi is a brother to Sigulumba. It was further gathered that the candidate was born out of wedlock between Mphatsi and a princess. 

However, residents close to the matter confided that the candidate never set foot at the homestead before and after the death of Mphatsi.

The residents also claimed that there was never an official unveiling and introduction of the third candidate to the residents of the area until last Saturday when the ritual was performed. 

They alleged that Musa and his family had not planned to attend the ceremony.

“Musa never attended the event but his mother was threatened with arrest and forced to attend the event,” alleged one of the residents. 

It should be understood that none of the residents wanted to be on record due to the sensitivity of the matter. 

Some even suggested that the story should not be punished until the new candidate was presented to the council. 

The residents stated that there was a plan to cleanse Sigulumba after the appointment of the third candidate. 

Asked what would happen to Musa, who still had the ruling ring on his finger, the residents couldn’t come out clearly. However, some claimed that Musa did not show up when called for the cleansing ceremony. 

It was gathered that there was an attempt to search for the late chief’s ruling ring but it was nowhere to be found since it was given to Musa some time ago. 

Musa’s mother requested not to comment on the matter. When called last week, Sigulumba also elected to remain silent. 

He said there were people who were in a better position to comment. 

Meanwhile, this publication gathered that the new candidate will be presented to the Ludzidzini Council today for the approval of his name.

They mentioned that this came after a series of meetings between some of the princesses and members of the Hlophe family. 

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