Makoma Mohale who stars as Maselekwani Modjadji
a.k.a Queen Modjadji I
The story began over 400 years ago with history wrapped in myth and by 1800 the Balobedu tribe of Limpopo Province crowned Queen Modjadji I.
Mzansi Magic's new historical drama Queen Modjadji premieres on Sunday 14 July at 20h00 and will take us back to these times to explore the rise of the queendom and the essence of the queen who was believed to have special powers.
It was said that she was a traditional healer who could bring rain to her people and allies, or she could inflict drought on her enemies.
The Balobedu nation has officially been a queendom for over 200 years with six Queen Modjadji's following one after the other in a tradition that's never been broken.
Until now.
Turns out there's a "situation" going on as we speak. You may have seen rumblings about it in the news over the past few years?
It's a battle between sister and brother because now a man and his supporters are claiming the throne in a sibling rivalry of intrigue, death and a promise.
Their mother Queen Modjadji
VI died in 2005, when she was only 26, which was perceived as suspicious by some - not surprising considering the fact that 26 is Died Too Young.
According to
wiki, her official cause of death was that she suffered chronic meningitis but others believe she was poisoned while others believe it was an act of the ancestors because both her mother and grandmother died in June too.
The only real truth that's clear is that her daughter Princess Masalanabo was too young to become queen when her mother died so her uncle Mpapatla Modjadji became regent until she turned 18 in 2023.
BUT... enter her older brother Prince Lekukela Modjadji.
In 2022 the Modjadji Royal Council coronated him as king and her foster parent, ANC MP Mathole Motshekga, tried to get a court interdict to stop it but failed because it happened the following day.
Two factions flared up, one vying for a queen and the other for a king. The Modjadji Royal Council supports him and the Balobedu Royal Council supports her.
IOL clarifies, saying that the Balobedu Royal Council was set-up as a parallel organisation to the Modjadji Royal Council once the dispute hit full throttle.
Flashforward to 2023 and the Balobedu Royal Council announced that they regard the princess as queen and said that she would be inaugurated in a coronation ceremony in August because she'd turned 18 earlier that year.
However that didn't happen. The date changed to April 2024 and that hasn't happened either.
We've been snooping for information on what's going on and got our clutches on a recent notice sent by the Balobedu Royal Council, saying that it's going to happen in September instead.
This from the notice:
Dear Balobedu Nation and Stakeholders,
We extend our sincerest apologies for any inconvenience caused and hereby announce the rescheduling of the anticipated coronation ceremony of Queen Masalanabo Modjadji VII. Originally planned for April 11, the ceremony will now take place in September.
This decision aligns with our deep-rooted cultural significance, as September marks the onset of the African calendar and holds special significance as Heritage Month in South Africa.
We are committed to ensuring that Queen Masalanabo Modjadji VII is coronated during this auspicious month.
September will be more than halfway through the broadcast of the series.
Now with added behind-the-scenes tension.
Will Queen Modjadji
VII be coronated or not?
Further investigation for you amateur detectives out there:
The Balobedu Queenship Recognised and Dignity Restored (2016)
Modjadji queenship dispute heads to court (2021)
Application to interdict installation of Prince Lekukela Modjadji as the Balobedu King (30 September 2022)
Prince Lekukela Modjadji installed as King of the Balobedu (1 October 2022)
Balobedu Royal Council endorses Princess Masalanabo Modjadji to be installed as ‘rain queen’ (9 May 2023)
Motshekga withdraws from court battle for Balobedu throne (11 August 2023)