{
  "id": 5251495,
  "title": "Modjadji royal family battle back in Pretoria High Court",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/modjadji-royal-family-battle-back-in-pretoria-high-court",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-03T04:24:12.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "SABC News",
    "slug": "sabc-news",
    "url": "https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/modjadji-royal-family-battle-back-in-pretoria-high-court/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Modjadji Royal family's legal challenge is set to resume in the Pretoria High Court on Thursday. The Balobedu royal family has accused President Cyril Ramaphosa of making decisions without proper authority or connection to their lineage. This issue arose following President Ramaphosa's decision to recognize Queen Masalanabo Modjadji the Seventh as the Balobedu monarch in December 2024. In response, the royal family has filed a request with the High Court to overturn President Ramaphosa's decision, advocating for her brother as the rightful monarch. Advocate Henk Havenga, speaking on behalf of the royal family, requested the court's involvement in establishing a committee to investigate the matter. The committee would determine if the 2015 designation of the successor followed customary law, if the selection of the current king by the family complied with customs, which of the two candidates should hold the royal title, and whether a new election or identification process should be conducted by the royal family.",
  "summary": "The Balobedu royal family accuses Ramaphosa of taking orders from those with no ties to royal family",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Times of Israel",
        "title": "In boon for Likud, High Court says election czar lacked authority to ban voter tracking",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/in-boon-for-likud-high-court-says-election-czar-lacked-authority-to",
        "published": "2026-09-02T20:53:49.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "Noida labour protest: Allahabad High Court quashes detention of 25-year-old under NSA",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/noida-labour-protest-allahabad-high-court-quashes-detention-of-25",
        "published": "2026-09-02T22:30:47.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Hindu",
        "title": "Consent irrelevant in POCSO cases, says Kerala High Court",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/consent-irrelevant-in-pocso-cases-says-kerala-high-court",
        "published": "2026-09-03T02:13:14.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "SABC News",
        "title": "LIVE: High Court hears the battle for the Balobedu throne",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/live-high-court-hears-the-battle-for-the-balobedu-throne",
        "published": "2026-09-03T07:18:19.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}