South Africa’s Zulu traditional Prime Minister Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi said “battle lines were drawn” over the succession of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu, who died in March.

He said the conflict was so serious it would have resulted to war “had we not achieved this stage of constitutional development as a country”.

He said some family members did not support the new monarch King Misuzulu KaZwelithini – who was announced as the successor to the throne last month amid a family feud.

Chief Buthelezi said they nominated another prince as successor – Prince Simakade Zulu – and had written a letter asking for him to be accorded security as a king.

“It appears that the battle lines in this conflict have been drawn, as far as I am concerned. We felt therefore that the nation should be informed so that they might judge for themselves who is right and who is wrong in this conflict,” he said at a media briefing.

The chief denied sowing conflict among members of the royal family – saying he did not choose the king – whom he announced as the successor to the throne.

“I am quite flabbergasted to hear that accusation as it is the will that was read that named our present king as the heir and it was not me” state broadcaster SABC quoted him as saying.

“Even if there was no will, automatically the heir would still have been the present king, Misuzulu, because he comes from the house of the chief wife who is the daughter of his majesty King Sobhuza II,” he added.