Venda princess Masindi Mphephu has been granted leave to appeal to the Limpopo High Court's decision rejecting her application to prevent her uncle, Venda king Toni Mphephu, from ascending the throne.

The leave to appeal was granted by the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in Bloemfontein on Thursday. The two will now go toe-to-toe in the supreme court at a date still to be decided. Masindi's spokesman Lufuno Ramabulana said they were excited by the decision.

"Remember, in December 2016 the Limpopo High Court dismissed Masindi's bid to prevent Mphephu from ascending the throne. Again in May, Judge [Ephraim] Makgoba ruled that the princess did not follow the traditional leadership and governance act and had not exhausted all avenues before going to court," he said.

"After the granting of this leave to appeal I think we've been vindicated. Ultimately, the higher courts will grant our request."

The king's legal adviser and spokesperson, Paul Makhavhu, said they welcomed the decision of the SCA as it affords the applicant a platform to exhaust all possible remedies. "This is one but last step before the matter finally goes to the Constitutional Court to be decided upon. It is the same route we travelled between 2005 and 2012 when His Majesty King TP Mphephu Ramabulana and royal family fought for the restoration of the VhaVenda kingship. The Ramabulana royal family remains firm and unshaken on the decisions which they made in 1998 and 2010 respectively," he said.

Masindi is the only legitimate child of former king Khosikhulu Tshimangadzo Mphephu, who died in a car crash in 1997 when Masindi was six years old. When she turned 18 in 2010, instead of installing her as monarch, the royal family council nominated the regent, her uncle Toni Mphephu Ramabulana, as king.