Published: 3 hours ago

The ongoing estate dispute between the late diplomat Charity Nzenza's family and her former husband, retired Brigadier-General Elisha Muzonzini, has taken a new turn, with Nzenza's siblings accusing Muzonzini of unlawfully winding up her estate.

In a High Court application for condonation of late filing and review (case no 5639/16), Charity Nzenza's brother, Sydney, and sisters Sekai and Jessie claim that Muzonzini, in collusion with Vongai Nzenza, finalized the estate without the family's consent despite an active legal dispute over its administration. The family alleges that the estate was wound up fraudulently.

"The late Charity Nzenza was my sister, a senior diplomat with 29 years of service in government, leaving behind a vast estate including high-value properties and business interests," the court papers read. "Since her death, there has been an ongoing dispute between the applicants and the respondents over the manner in which the estate was administered."

The siblings argue that Muzonzini was not a legitimate husband under customary law, claiming he had no legal right to administer the estate. "He purports to have been her customary law husband for inheritance purposes, yet he did not marry her according to customary law. Lobola was never paid, and I put him to the strictest proof thereof," Sydney Nzenza said.

The Master of the High Court is also being blamed for allegedly rushing the winding-up process despite concerns raised by the family. Court papers reveal that letters and submissions highlighting anomalies in the estate's administration went unheeded. The Nzenza family only discovered in November 2016 that the estate had been finalized in April 2013, despite prior indications that administration was still ongoing.

"The evidence points to the fact that the administration of the estate is incomplete and that the winding-up was rushed and premature," the application stated.

The dispute has a complicated history, with Muzonzini last year filing a US$50 000 defamation suit against the Nzenza family after they accused him of abusing his position to control the late diplomat's wealth.

No court date has yet been set for the review application, which could determine the legitimacy of the estate's administration and the rights of the Nzenza family.
- newsday

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