By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE: The safety of the late Queen Mantfombi Dlamini-Zulu children was allegedly discussed within the eSwatini royal family in the past weekend as tension escalates within the Zulu Royal Family after the death of King Goodwill Zwelithin and the Queen Regent.

Reached for comments, Lusendvo Fakudze, the Ludzidzini Palace Governor said eSwatini remains the second home for the children, however, he said he was not aware of their whereabouts at this juncture.

"Kumbe nabagcine bafikile bangaba le-Guest House, kodvwa-ke kute lengikuvile kwanyalo kutsi ngabe bakuphi(meaning: Maybe they were accommodated in the Guest House, but I'm not sure if they had arrived" said the Governor.

Eswatini royal insiders told this Swaziland News that the safety of the children was allegedly discussed at length within the royal family, however, details of the discussions cannot be revealed for ethical reasons and to protect the security of the late Queen Regent children.

IOL news reported on Monday that King Goodwill Zwelithini’s sister, Princess Thembi Ndlovu, has hit out at Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, telling him “time is up” and that he should remove himself from the affairs of the Zulu royal family. This is the latest spat from the Zulu royal court in Nongoma, following heightened tensions after the king’s first wife, Queen Sibongile Dlamini, approached the courts on an urgent application, saying the king’s will had been forged and in a bid for her to attain 50% of the king’s estate as part of her civil union with the deceased. 

Princess Thembi, along with her brother, Prince Mbonisi Zulu, and four other princes called an impromptu press conference outside Khangela palace to vent after Buthelezi allegedly locked them out of a royal meeting held on Monday.Angered by this, the four - who are now known as the ’Royal Rebels’, stormed out of the palace where the mourning for the late Queen Regent Mantfombi Dlamini-Zulu is taking place. The Princess said Buthelezi was locking them out of their own royal house and should anything go wrong, people would blame them, “not the Prince (Buthelezi) whose home is KwaPhindangene (in Ulundi).”