Less than a year after being inaugurated as Bapedi king‚ Thulare Victor Thulare III has died aged 40.

Thulare's lawyer‚ Mathews Phosa‚ confirmed the news to TimesLIVE on Wednesday afternoon.

“I can confirm he has passed away. I'm not sure about the time but I was informed of his passing about 8am by his mother‚” he said.

Phosa could not confirm whether Thulare's death was Covid-19 related‚ saying the royal council would provide further details on Thursday.

“The Royal House will discuss the matter tomorrow and give directions‚” he said.

In March last year President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a recognition certificate over to Thulare as the Bapedi kingdom's leader. This after the Constitutional Court affirmed him as the legitimate king of the Bapedi after a protracted dispute over the throne.

Two months later‚ Thulare was bestowed with a certificate of recognition by deputy minister of co-operative government and traditional affairs (Cogta) Obed Bapela in Pretoria. At the time he told TimesLIVE he was “elated”.

SowetanLIVE reported that in June Thulare scored another victory after the Polokwane high court ordered his uncle to step down and hand over the kingship.

TimesLIVE