Zwelonke Sigcawu
{{short description|King of the Xhosas}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox royalty
|name = Zwelonke Mpendulo Calvin Sigcawu
|image =
|succession =Xhosa Kings (Gcaleka & Rharhabe)
|reign =1 January 2006 –14 November 2019
|full name ={{nowrap|Zwelonke Calvin Mpendulo Sigcawu}}
|predecessor =Xolilizwe Mzikayise Sigcawu
|successor =Ahlangene Sigcawu
|spouse 1 =
|spouse 2 =
| Children =
|royal house =House of Phalo
|royal anthem =
|father =Xolilizwe Mzikayise Sigcawu
|mother =Nozamile Sigcawu
|birth_date = {{Birth date|1968|4|4|df=yes}}
|birth_place =Willowvale, Eastern Cape, South Africa
|death_date= {{Death date and age|2019|11|14|1968|4|4|df=yes}}
}}
King Zwelonke ka-Xolilizwe (Mpendulo Calvin Sigcawu; 4 April 1968 – 14 November 2019) was a South African royal and King of the Xhosa people.{{cite news|last=Phaliso|first=Sandiso|title=Royal spat over claims to Xhosa kingship|url=http://www.citypress.co.za/SouthAfrica/News/Royal-spat-over-claims-to-Xhosa-kingship-20091021|access-date=7 November 2010|newspaper=City Press|date=21 October 2009}} He became king on 1 January 2006. Zwelonke was born at Nqadu Great Palace in Willowvale in the Eastern Cape{{cite news |last1=Evans |first1=Jenni |title='Unfortunately we lost him this morning' - shock after amaXhosa king dies |url=https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/unfortunately-we-lost-him-this-morning-shock-after-amaxhosa-king-dies-20191114 | date = 14 November 2019 |access-date=19 November 2019 |work=News24 |agency=24.com}} to Xolilizwe Mzikayise Sigcawu and Nozamile.
King Zwelonke Sigcawu had been king of the AmaXhosa since the death of his father, King Xolilizwe Sigcawu, in 2005.{{Cite web|url=https://www.enca.com/south-africa/live-first-coronation-amaxhosa-king-50-years|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191114100239/https://www.enca.com/south-africa/live-first-coronation-amaxhosa-king-50-years|archive-date=14 November 2019|title=LIVE: First Coronation of AmaXhosa King in 50 years|website=eNCA|url-status=live|access-date=8 July 2020}}
Death and funeral
On the evening of 11 November 2019, the king was rushed to hospital in Mthatha by ambulance.{{Cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/national/amaxhosa-king-dies-aged-51/ar-BBWKfEr?li=BBqfP3n&ocid=wispr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191114100422/https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/national/amaxhosa-king-dies-aged-51/ar-BBWKfEr?li=BBqfP3n&ocid=wispr|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 November 2019|title=AmaXhosa king dies aged 51| website=MSN |date=8 July 2020|access-date=8 July 2020}} King Zwelonke died in the early hours of 14 November 2019 at the age of 51. No cause of death was provided.
He was given a state funeral on the 29 November 2019 and together with royal funeral and at Nqadu Great Place, Willowvale, his funeral was attended by high profile politicians Former President Thabo Mbeki who made keynote speech as an elder, President Cyril Ramaphosa made eulogy, Premier of the Eastern Cape Oscar Mabuyane, General Bantu Holomisa, Julius Malema and many others and the royal houses of AmaRharhabe, amaZulu, amaNdebele, abaThembu, and many others.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}
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{{S-bef| before=Xolilizwe Mzikayise Sigcawu}}
{{s-ttl | title=King of the Xhosa Kingdom| years=2006–2019}}
{{s-aft |after=Dumehleli Nongudle Mapasa (as Regent)
Ahlangene Sigcawu (as King)}}
{{end}}
References
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Category:Rulers of the Gcaleka
Category:Monarchies of South Africa
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