Cultural expert dismisses Princess Masindi's bid for Venda throne

A cultural expert has poured cold water on Princess Masindi Mphephu-Ramabulana's court challenge to ascend to the Venda throne, saying she was not born from the king and a “candle wife” (a wife supposed to produce a male heir).

Zama Mapai from the University of Venda took the stand at the Limpopo High Court on Monday, where Masindi is challenging her uncle and former Venda king Toni Mphephu-Ramabulana in a drawn-out royal legal battle for the throne. 

Mapai argued that Masindi cannot ascend to the throne because when she was born her mother, Fhulufhelo, was not yet married to then king Dimbanyika Mphephu-Ramabulana.

“According to Venda tradition, a king or queen should be the legitimate child of a sitting king and a candle wife. In this case, Masindi was sired out of wedlock and that excludes her from ascending to the throne. Her mother was supposed to have been chosen by the senior aunt, the khadzi, who has the royal powers to choose the candle wife for the king,” Mapai said.

Mapai said a male is preferred in Venda culture.

Masindi is challenging her uncle Toni in the never-ending royal feud.

The Vha-Venda throne became vacant after Masindi successfully challenged her uncle in the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein in 2017. The court then removed him from the throne after his reign that spanned more than two decades.

Toni was ordered to step down from the throne after Masindi declared herself the heir apparent. The court said as the respondent, he should step aside until the matter is legally resolved and cultural practices were concluded.

When he took the stand, Toni argued that Masindi cannot ascend to the throne as she does not meet cultural requirements in Venda tradition.

“For someone to ascend to the throne to become a king, the candidate must meet certain requirements and be chosen by the senior aunt in collaboration with uncles of the royal house. The chosen king will be introduced to the ancestors and be conferred the royal insignia.

“The practice of male leaders dates back centuries and we cannot just change that now. We should guard against obliterating our history and tradition,” he said.

During cross-examination, Masindi’s legal representative Adv Alan Dodson put it to the former king that some members of the Mphephu-Ramabulana royal family do not agree with Masindi’s ascension to the throne on the basis of her gender.

Dodson also submitted that his client is the rightful heir to the throne as she was the first born child of Dimbanyika, who died in a car crash in 1997 when Masindi was six years old — too young to preside over the kingdom.

Dodson argued that Masindi was sidelined from the throne on the basis of her gender. “Masindi is merely excluded from the throne because she is a woman. This cultural practice denies Masindi her birthright as the firstborn of the late king to succeed her father,” Dodson said.

The Masindi cohort, mainly women, was conspicuous by their embroidered T-shirts advocating for gender equality in Venda cultural practices.

A gender activist from Masindi Mphephu Foundation, Livhuwani Ramese, said some Venda cultural practices are oppressive towards women.

“These cultural prejudices are insane because they are pulling women down. We have a woman here who is oppressed because of her gender. She is the firstborn of a king and we all know that. She is sidelined by chauvinistic practices which do not make sense,” Ramese said.

Meanwhile, former Vha-Venda acting king David “Japan” Mphephu has thrown his weight behind Toni to return to the throne.

The trial is expected to continue until Friday, as more witnesses are expected to take the stand.

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