Johannesburg - Nelson Mandela’s embattled grandson, Zwelivelile Mandla Mandela, has laughed off as “delusional” AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo’s threat to remove him as Mvezo chief.
Through spokesman Freddy Pilusa, Mandla on Sunday dismissed Dalindyebo as prone to making “delusional announcements”.
He added chiefs were sacked after due processes rather than at the king’s whim.
“Recently, he made claims that Nkosi Mandela wishes to unseat him. In December 2010, after being sentenced to 15 years in jail for a string of violent crimes, the king sent a letter to Parliament announcing he is seceding from South Africa if the sentence is not reversed,” said Pilusa.
Mandla’s spokesman added that Dalindyebo’s threats to relieve him of his traditional duties were “laughable”.
This came after the king, who is Nelson Mandela’s cousin, told a gathering he would “eject power-mongering” Mandla.
Speaking from his Bumbane Great Place, near Qunu, Dalindyebo called Mandla a “witch” for ordering the removal of the remains of three of Mandela’s children from Qunu to Mvezo at night in 2011 without consulting his relatives. Addressing about 100 AbaThembus,who came from as far as Ngcobo and Lady Frere, Dalindyebo said the Mandela family was “tired of Zwelivelile”.
He again disputed Mandla’s chieftaincy, saying the chief’s younger brother Ndaba was the rightful heir to the throne, a claim Mandla himself dismissed at a press conference last week.
Dalindyebo, to loud applause, said: “I know it’s a family affair, but he’s not the rightful heir. Ndaba is the rightful heir. The family gave me that name, so his chieftaincy is null and void. I know he has money and power, and will go to court but I am ready. I am ready to kick that mouse out. I don’t even want to give him dignity to say he will be removed. He will be ejected.”
He said some chiefs under his rule faced the same fate and would not be issued with certificates for challenging his authority. This followed their petition to government to have Dalindyebo dethroned for allegedly bringing the AbaThembus into disrepute.
The king accused Mandla of having betrayed the kingdom and the Madiba clan.
Dalindyebo also accused Mandla of desecrating the family’s lion skin meant for Madiba, by wearing it to “inappropriate” places like churches and beauty pageants. Mandela was a judge in the final of Miss World contest last year.
“We wanted to honour Madiba with a lion skin, but that lion skin ended up in his hands and we watched him wearing it in abnormal places. We intend to replace that lion skin with another one, because Mandla has used it for his personal gains and also to confuse people outside South Africa by masquerading as a king,” said Dalindyebo.
But a defiant Mandla not only brushed aside Dalindyebo’s threats, he said he would be handing over blankets to the poor at Sithebe, the village from where the king’s wife hails.
He said the initiative started with 3 000 blankets and would target 30 traditional councils in Eastern Cape.
“We will hand out 100 blankets in each traditional council,” said Mandla.
Dalindyebo is no stranger to controversy. According to media reports, he threatened to lead his nation in a secession from South Africa unless a guilty verdict against him in a criminal case was reversed.
It was in connection with the assault of four men at his palace by villagers on his instruction, leading to the death of one. The king recently launched scathing attacks against President Jacob Zuma and also threatened to campaign for the DA.
The Star