The 48-year-old is the son of the previous king, but some royals had argued he was not the rightful heir and that the late king’s will was in fact forged. Thousands of people gathered at Saturday’s traditional coronation at KwaKhangelamankengane Palace, where the king entered the sacred cattle kraal to invoke his ancestors before being announced to both the living and the dead as the new Zulu monarch.
He was expected to wear the hide of the lion that he hunted for the royal event, a key feat in proving he is indeed the chosen one. More than 10 cows were slaughtered in preparation for the festivities. Next month, he is to be hosted by the government for a state ceremony. The throne has no formal political power, but a fifth of South Africa’s population is Zulu and its monarchy remains hugely influential with a yearly taxpayer-funded budget of more than $4.9m (£3.5m).
The Zulu kingdom has a proud history. It is world-famous for defeating British troops during the 1879 battle of Isandlwana. Its succession battles have always been fierce - and at times, bloody.