The AmaXhosa King Mpendulo Zwelonke Sigcawu has died at the age of 51.
King Sigcawu died during the early hours of Thursday, the king’s uncle Nkosi Xhanti Sigcawu reportedly told TimesLive.
The king was rushed to hospital Wednesday evening in Mthatha, eNCA reported.
King Zwelonke Sigcawu had been king of the AmaXhosa since the death of his father, King Xolilizwe Sigcawu, in 2005.
In 2010, he was declared legitimate king of all AmaXhosa by President Jacob Zuma, following a determination by the Commission on Traditional Leadership Disputes and Claims, also known as the Nhlapo Commission, which probed the authenticity of traditional leaders in South Africa.
He was sworn in as king of the amaXhosa nation in Nqadu Great Place in the Eastern Cape in 2015, the first coronation of an amaXhosa king in 50 years.
