Pretoria - Formalities will soon be finalised to oust Nelson Mandela's grandson Mandla as chief of Mvezo, AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo said on Wednesday.
“We are going to deal with that very soon after we have dealt with Madiba’s health. At the moment, we have dismissed Mandla from royalty. We have dismissed him as a chief. We will be doing the official processes,” he told reporters at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
“There are procedures to follow in the traditional spheres. The royal family, the Mandela family will forward to me their recommendation to take him out. I will make a de-recognition approval.”
The king told reporters that President Jacob Zuma had ways of “flushing” his opponents.
He was speaking after handing a petition to officials of Zuma's office.
“The petition is a response to the president's orders to (former Co-operative Governance) Minister Richard Baloyi ordering him to flush me out of kingship indiscriminately,” he said.
“AbaThembu have had a meeting and formulated a response. We are simply telling him to go back to Nkandla and leave AbaThembu alone.”
He said Zuma dealt mercilessly with perceived opponents.
“He flushes people like condoms. Like yesterday (Tuesday). 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.
Asked why his relationship with Zuma had deteriorated, Dalindyebo said he had never had a cosy association with the president.
“We’ve never really had good relations, but they were not as bad as they are (now). He has been to my place I don’t know for how many times.
“He tried to arrange a meeting through Ms Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, (who) refused because I do not want to meet him.”
The king confirmed that he had joined the opposition Democratic Alliance.
“That is now confirmed, I will be joining the DA.”
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.” - Sapa