Pretoria - The Balobedu Royal Council has endorsed Princess Masalanabo Modjadji to be installed as the next rai queen in August.
The council, a parallel structure to the Modjadji Royal Council, was established in December last year after a fall-out between Princess Masalanabo and her elder brother, Prince Lekukela Modjadji.
In October last year the Modjadji Royal Council hosted a traditional ceremony inaugurating Prince Lekukela as the next king, which would end 200 years of rule by women in the Balobedu nation, situated at Khetlhakone Village outside Modjadjiskloof in Limpopo.
The two siblings have been in a fierce battle to ascend the throne to lead the Balobedu nation after the death of their mother, Queen Makobo Modjadji, the “rain queen”, in 2005.
The factional Balobedu Royal Council consists of the late queen’s advisers and are backing Princess Masalanabo to be queen after she turned 18 in January, paving the way for her to ascend the throne. The Modjadji Royal Council believe Prince Lekukela to be the rightful heir. Princess Masalanabo was raised by ANC heavyweight Dr Mathole Motshekga, who has taken the matter to the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, seeking for her to be recognised as the rightful heir.
Now Princess Masalanabo is set to be inaugurated as rain queen in August.
The inauguration was initially planned for April, but postponed so the nation could celebrate her 18th birthday.
Secretary of the Balobedu Royal Council, Gabriel Selomela Rasebotsa, said the reason for forming the structure was to prepare for the coronation of the princess.
“The responsibility to establish the queen’s council and to prepare for the coronation now falls in the hands of the Balobedu Royal Council. We are going ahead with the inauguration, Masalanabo Modjadji is the rightful queen,” Rasebotsa said.
He said the other faction was ruining their culture because the Balobedu nation only knew queens.
“We chose August as it is Women’s Month and no one can change the fact that the Balobedu nation will be ruled by a woman.”
Motshekga, a senior ANC member, has reportedly asked president Cyril Ramaphosa to recognise Princess Masalanabo as the Rain Queen.
Speaking to the Pretoria News, Modjadji Royal Council spokesperson Ronnie Moroatshehla said the succession matter was sub judice because it was still in court and he could not comment much on the new parallel structure.
“This matter is still sub judice.This man (Motshekga) has taken us to court and out of all the court proceedings he has not won any.”
He accused Motshekga of using Princess Masalanabo for his own benefit “and we are not going to allow that. We are fighting for our child to come back home and we are fighting with an outsider.”
He said despite her not being the rightful heir, she still had a role to play as a great-aunt in the dynasty.
Pretoria News