The AbaThembu Royal House apologised to President Jacob Zuma on Saturday after comments made by AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo and said his removal as king was not yet finalised.
“The royal family for the Kingdom of AbaThembu is very disappointed with his latest disrespectful statements that he expressed to the president of Republic of South Africa,” the family spokesman Nkosi Daludumo Mtirara said in a statement.
“... the royal family for the Kingdom of AbaThembu wish to extend an apology to the state president for finding himself a victim of disrespectful insults from our nephew, child and cousin.”
Mtirara said despite the resolution taken on September 29, 2012 to immediately remove Dalindyebo as king, the family was unable to “completely dissociates itself from those extremely crazy” comments Dalindyebo made towards Zuma.
He said Dalindyebo's fate had not yet been finalised as the family was waiting for government to implement its resolution before the family can begin the process to determine his fate, Mtirara said.
On Wednesday, Dalindyebo said Zuma dealt mercilessly with perceived opponents after he handed a petition to officials of Zuma's office at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
“He flushes people like condoms. Like yesterday. He thinks he can flush kings, he flushes his ministers like condoms,” he said.
“Unfortunately, the president has a habit of not condomising. We don't like people with that kind of attitude. His behaviour is a shower mentality.”
Zuma announced a Cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday.
Dalindyebo said he expected a “practical response” from Zuma to his petition.
“He must tell AbaThembu about his intentions and AbaThembu need to direct him to the rightful place. I cannot be ordered to his office. He must come to my office,” he said.
“I am king unto him, he's just a Zulu boy.”
On Saturday, Mtirara said as long as government does not implement the resolution, the family cannot remove Dalindyebo as king.
“He remains our naughty nephew, brother and cousin who is no longer eligible to preside over customary ceremonies due his unacceptable conduct and impurities emanating from it,” he said.
“Albeit the royal family confirmed the removal of Dalindyebo from the highest office for the Kingdom of AbaThembu, it has observed that he still pretends to others that nothing has happened.”
Mtirara said the family has isolated him until his fate was determined.
In October last year, Dalindyebo criticised Zuma during a speech in Lady Grey in the Eastern Cape making it clear that he did not approve of Zuma or his government despite earlier endorsing Zuma for a second term.
He likened government leaders to cats who feed on milk while cows are starving due to drought. -Sapa