PRINCESS LUNGILE THANKS GOD, KING

MBABANE – “I want to thank and appreciate my God who rewards according to what our hands have done.”

These were the words of Princes Lungile, the wife of the late astute business mogul, Victor Mfana Gamedze, following the High Court judgment in the multimillion estate of her husband.

Judge Titus Mlangeni, who heard the matter said: “From the evidence, it is abundantly clear that when she got married to her late husband she is the one who brought wealth into the family-coming, as she did, from a family of means.”

 In a brief interview yesterday, the princess said; “God said He shall bless the work of our hands. I also want to appreciate His Majesty the King for sending me to study in England where I studied Business Administration.”

She further appreciated the royalty for blessing both her civil and customary marriages.

“Finally, I would like to appreciate His Majesty the King for giving my husband a dignified send-off,” said the princess.

Last Friday, the court ruled in favour of Princess Lungile, who was among other things contending that she was in a universal partnership with her late husband. 

Judgment

 The judgment by the court means she will now receive half of the net joint estate with her late husband and a child’s share of the remaining half.

The order by the court comes after she filed an application challenging the decision of the Master of the High Court, who had ruled that she should be given a child’s share of the multimillion Emalangeni estate of her late husband.  

Judge Mlangeni set aside the Master’s decision rejecting the objection to the Liquidation and Distribution Account that was filed by the applicant (Princess Lungile). 

The court further declared that a tacit universal partnership existed between Princess Lungile and her husband during the latter’s lifetime.

A universal partnership is an express or tacit agreement between two people who choose to live together in a permanent relationship without entering into marriage.

Partnership

“It is hereby declared that a tacit universal partnership existed between the applicant and the deceased during the latter’s lifetime. The Master’s decision is substituted with an upholding to the objection and directing the executor to amend the Liquidation and Distribution (L&D) account in accordance with the objection, the effect of which is that the applicant is to receive half of the net joint estate with Mr Gamedze and a child’s share of the remaining half ,” ordered Judge Mlangeni,

The judge highlighted that the princess chronicled, in graphic detail, a business journey that she and the deceased started together from humbled beginnings to the colossal business empire that was the subject of the unpleasant litigation.

The court further highlighted that contrary to the prevalence of documentary evidence, the late Gamedze did, at some time, believe that he was married to the applicant in community of property and presumably by civil rites.

“This is as recent as 2016 when he made a power of attorney for the transfer of immovable property in the Hhohho Region. The weight of evidence is overwhelming against what Mr Gamedze appears to have thought at the time of the said transfer,” said Judge Mlangeni.

The court said, because there was no valid civil rites marriage, there could be no community of property between the deceased and the applicant.

He highlighted that it was common cause that Princess Lungile and the deceased were in a valid marriage in accordance with customary rites.  

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