A judge in South Africa has overturned the president’s recognition of the Zulu king, the latest twist in history a bitter and protracted battle about who is the rightful leader of one of Africa’s most traditional monarchies.

The ruling issued Monday by Judge Norman Davis suggests that 49-year-old King Misuzulu, who ascended to the throne made famous by the legendary King Shaka Zulu last year, may have to step down.

The uncertainty is likely to fuel tensions within the royal family, which rules South Africa’s largest and most culturally influential traditional kingdom. Since the death of King Goodwill Zwelithini in March 2021 after a 50-year reign, members of the royal family have made heated accusations against each other, including claims that wills were forged, rivals were poisoned, secret meetings were called and that King Misuzulu did so an incestuous playboy.

The drama has captivated a country home to about 14 million Zulus, whose language is the most widely spoken in South Africa.

Under South African law, the president must give his blessing before a traditional leader is installed – which President Cyril Ramaphosa gave to King Misuzulu in March 2022. However, Justice Davis said Mr Ramaphosa had failed to follow the necessary legal requirements to resolve the dispute over the rightful heir before recognizing King Misuzulu, including failing to heed the advice of a conciliation panel appointed by the President.

The panel suggested Mr. Ramaphosa appoint an interim king and wait until all legal proceedings were completed before recognizing the Zulu nation’s permanent leader, Justice Davis wrote in his decision. Monday’s ruling overturned Mr. Ramaphosa’s recognition and ordered him to convene a panel to investigate disputes within the royal family.

Mr Ramaphosa’s spokesman, Vincent Magwenya, said the president’s legal team was reviewing the ruling and would determine the way forward. Prince Africa Zulu, a spokesman for King Misuzulu, said in a statement that the king and family would review the decision before deciding how to proceed.

The lawyers who represented the case against King Misuzulu expect the president to appeal the verdict.

The royal family was naturally divided over the court ruling.

“There is currently no Zulu king,” said Johann Hammann, a lawyer for Prince Simakade, a brother of King Misuzulu who claims to be the rightful heir to the throne and is among the family members who initiated the legal battle.

Prince Thami Zulu, who is close to King Misuzulu, claimed it was clear that he would remain king. The prince referred to the part of Justice Davis’ decision that said he would not overturn a previous court’s ruling that King Misuzulu was “the rightful heir to the throne” under common law.

The government may need to resolve technical issues regarding presidential recognition, but that is unlikely to have any impact on King Misuzulu’s standing, Prince Thami said. “No one else can have a claim to it,” he said. “Not in this life. This was finished and dusted off a long time ago.”

Although the Zulu king has no governmental powers, he is a moral and cultural leader, overseeing a vast tract of land owned by the kingdom and providing the government with an annual budget of $3.9 million. His influence within the country’s largest ethnic group also attracts the attention of political figures who tend to court the king at election time.

The Zulu succession question was complicated by the tradition of polygamy. King Zwelithini had six wives and at least 28 children. King Misuzulu claims to be the rightful heir, partly because his mother, the king’s third wife, came from the royal family in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). He and his supporters argue that his mother’s royal inheritance gives her priority over the king’s five other widows – and that King Misuzulu, as her first son, is the rightful successor.

But his opponents say a king is chosen when the core members of the royal family come together and decide who is best suited to lead.

In an interview with the New York Times last yearKing Misuzulu called the dispute a case of “family terrorism” – but said he was claiming what was rightfully his.

Once a king’s soul leaves his body, “a new king immediately takes over,” he said.