×

We've got news for you.

Register on SowetanLIVE at no cost to receive newsletters, read exclusive articles & more.
Register now

AbaThembu nation to meet after Dalindyebo’s ConCourt failure

The royal family for the Kingdom of AbaThembu has welcomed the Constitutional Court’s decision to dismiss King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo’s application for leave to appeal his conviction and 12-year jail sentence.

 “We believe that the decision of the Constitutional Court marks the end of the legal battles of Zwelibanzi Dalindyebo. It further indicates that Zwelibanzi Dalindyebo failed to clear his name in our courts‚” said Daludumo Mtirara‚ spokesman of the Royal Family for the Kingdom of AbaThembu (RFKA)

RFKA is a group within the royal family which had‚ since 2012‚ demanded that Dalindyebo be dethroned and jailed for his behaviour which they said was “unkingly” and was an embarrassment to the throne.

The group‚ which also includes Dalindyebo’s estranged wife Queen Noluntu Dalindyebo and many members of the Mtirara family‚ had even written to President Jacob Zuma and the Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs Ministry to have Dalindyebo removed from the throne.

They said they regarded Dalindyebo as a “former king”‚ claiming they had recalled him as the head of the royal family in 2012.

Following the new developments in Dalindyebo’s Constitutional Court application‚ the RFKA will meet on December 27 at Dalindyebo’s Bumbane Great Place near Mthatha “so that we can assess the current situation and move the kingdom forward through the application of custom”.

“We will ensure that every member puts our custom first before any other interests‚” said Mtirara.

He said the meeting would be followed by a meeting of the greater Dlomo clan on December 30‚ also in Bumbane‚ while a meeting with the AbaThembu nation will take place on January 6 at the royal residence in Bumbane.

“We invite the nation to come in numbers for this important meeting – the first in our lifetime which requires maximum participation. We appeal to AbaThembu nation to remain calm and allow the custom of Ngangelizwe‚ Mtirara‚ Ngubengcuka‚ Ndaba‚ and Zondwa … to guide all the proceedings. The royal family intends to engage the victims who were abused by Zwelibanzi Dalindyebo once the situation has settled down‚” said Mtirara.

Although Dalindyebo and members of the royal family who still support him agreed on the nomination of the king’s eldest son‚ Prince Azenathi‚ 23‚ to ascend to throne‚ the RFKA did not approve of that.

Azenathi‚ a university student‚ is Dalindyebo’s son from his first wife‚ Queen Nocollege Dalindyebo‚ who is a high court Judge.

Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.