Reinstated AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo wants palace back to cleanse himself from 'bad luck'

Durban - NOW that he has been reinstated into his position, AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo wants his palace back so that he can conduct a traditional ritual to cleanse himself of imprisonment-related bad omens.

This was confirmed by his spokesperson Prince Mthunzi Ngonyama on Friday.   

The king is locked in a court battle with his son Prince Azani who challenges the Eastern Cape government’s decision to reinstate his father into the position he had been occupying in an acting capacity since 2016 after his father was jailed the year before . The case was postponed at the Mthatha High Court to next Friday for judgement. 

Ngonyama said the long overdue ritual could not be done outside of the Bumbane Great Place Palace, which Azenathi became the head of after his father’s imprisonment for several crimes, including arson and kidnapping. 

“He needs to go back to his palace and go through a process of cleansing him of his bad luck, which is a normal ritual for somebody who has been through what he has been through,” said Ngonyama 

“The first thing that is important is to get back Bumbane and all other programmes and processes will follow,” he said. 

Ngonyama said the government had provided the king, who was released on parole from prison last December after serving part of his sentence, with all tools of trade including restoring his salary, but he could not access his palace as it was still occupied by his son. 

He said the king was hoping that with his reinstatement the matter was nearer to being concluded. 

“It is just the son who is coming from a blindspot, which we did not expect despite that previously we would hear him saying that he wanted the king to be back (from prison) and take his position. 

“Now when the reality hits he changes his tune and true colours are showing up because of resources and  privileges that he enjoyed,” said Ngonyama. 

Dalindyebo was in March arrested and released on a warning after he stormed the palace while allegedly armed demanding Azenathi to vacate.  It was reported that he was then interdicted from going to Bumbane. Ngonyama said that the matter might return to court next week as a separate legal action. 

After his arrest, the king allegedly disowned Azenathi, and called for a DNA test to prove that he was indeed his son. 

“He (Azenathi) said he will not allow that to happen until all of the king’s children have gone through that process.

“I don’t know why someone would want everybody to go through this process instead of wanting to clear himself,” said Ngonyama. 

Azenathi’s spokesperson Prince Thandisizwe Mtirara said Azenathi would not vacate Bumbane palace because it was his home. But he said following the provincial government’s decision, Azenathi was no longer an acting king. 

When asked about the king demanding to move back to the palace, Mtirara said that should be discussed by both parties. He said the king had not yet told Azenathi that they should go for the DNA test. 

“He is still waiting for the instruction from his father. The relationship between  the two is not is not clear since they have not met and talked,” he said.

He said he could not discuss the instatement of the king since the matter was “still in court.”  

“It would depend on the ruling of the judge,” said Mtirara. 

Eastern Cape Cooperative Governance Department spokesperson Makhaya Komisa said he was not in position to respond to questions sent to him. 

However, in June Premier Oscar Mabuyane informed Azenathi that his position, which was being reviewed after every three-year term, would not be renewed. It was also reported that Mabuyane also informed him to vacate the palace and handover a cellphone, a government car and petrol card. He was reportedly told that his last salary was on June 15.

Political Bureau

Sat, 18 Jul 2020 09:11:00 GMTBongani Hans

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