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Royalty to meet Zuma about freeing King Dalindyebo

Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo of AbaThembu Probably the most controversial on the list, Dalindyebo is currently on a hospital bed in prison. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison for assault, arson, kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice in October 2015.
Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo of AbaThembu Probably the most controversial on the list, Dalindyebo is currently on a hospital bed in prison. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison for assault, arson, kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice in October 2015.

Four Eastern Cape royals will meet the ANC’s top six‚ led by President Jacob Zuma‚ to plead for the release of the jailed abaThembu king Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo.

The three kings and a queen hope they can persuade Zuma to grant Dalindyebo‚ who is serving a 12-year jail term‚ a presidential pardon‚ reports the Daily Dispatch.

AmaXhosa King Zwelonke Sigcawu‚ western Thembuland and western Mpondoland kings Siyambonga Matanzima and Ndamase Ndamase and eastern Mpondoland Queen Lombekiso Sigcau confirmed they would attend the meeting while amaRharhabe Queen Noloyiso Sandile will send a representative.

The traditional leaders have called on religious leaders to pray for them and for traditional healers to burn incense and ask the ancestors to bless their meeting.

Monday’s meeting comes after Sigcawu‚ Matanzima and his adviser Zwelabantu Matanzima‚ western Mpondoland Chief Ntandoyesizwe Ndamase and Sipho Tanana of the amaRharhabe Kingdom met in Mthatha in April and resolved to request a meeting with the highest ANC decision-making body.

The kings’ facilitator‚ Prince Mlamli Ndamase‚ said the ANC’s national executive committee had granted them a meeting for Monday at 11am at Luthuli House.

“King Zwelibanzi [Dalindyebo’s praise name] being jailed has degraded the dignity of traditional leadership‚” Ndamase said.

“I believe that his victims also feel sorry for him now because he has been in jail for months and they are his subjects. We believe that King Zwelibanzi’s release would also unite the abaThembu nation.” — TMG Digital/Daily Dispatch

 

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