AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo to step down ‘soon’

AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo has, in a surprise move, revealed that he will soon step down as monarch and hand over the reins to his younger son Prince Sinethemba Solakhe Dalindyebo.

“It will [happen within] five years,” the 60-year-old king said in an exclusive interview with the Daily Dispatch.

He disclosed that he had initially wanted the 18-year-old prince to take over the monarchy in early 2025.

Sinethemba, who will be doing grade 12 in 2025, is one of thousands of AbaThembu boys undergoing traditional initiation this summer season — in part to prepare him for the throne.

He is the firstborn son of Queen Nokwanda Dalindyebo, one of the king’s six wives.

Sinethemba and Ongama Mbondi, 18, the son of the queen’s eldest sister, have been in initiation school since November 23.

They will graduate on Wednesday.

On Thursday, umgidi (the traditional initiation homecoming ceremony) of Ongama will be held at the maiden home of Queen Nokwanda at KuGangxo village in Sithebe.

Sinethemba's umgidi will be on Friday at Bumbane Great Place, outside Mthatha.

“He is a crown prince of AbaThembu, the heir to the throne and I will reveal him to the public as the next king, Dalindyebo said.

“Within five years or earlier, I will retire and Sinethemba will ascend to the throne. As the father, I will mentor and offer some advice.”

He said traditional leaders must move away from the practice of ruling until death.

“We must allow our children to rule while we are still alive so that we can have an opportunity to guide them.

“I am 60 years old, I cannot wait for 20 more years to retire.

“I am not under threat of death, but I must retire while still in good health, fresh and strong.

“It is good to mentor while still alive and not [from] beyond the grave or as an ancestor.

“Queen Elizabeth ruled until her heart stopped beating.

“[Her son] King Charles III was more than 70 years old and not in good health when he ascended to the throne,” he said.

Dalindyebo said his eldest son, Prince Azenathi Dalindyebo, who stood in for him while he was incarcerated, “is not the heir but the eldest son”.

“If he wants to lodge a claim he can do so. I am ready for him.”

He said for Sinethemba to be king would not mean he would stop his education.

“Kingship is an institution, run collectively with the council of wise men surrounding the king.

“They are not there to protect the king’s personal needs but the future of the kingship.

“Sinethemba will have such a crucial structure to [help him] rule.”

Dalindyebo said his son’s traditional initiation was crucial.

“When he was a boy I protected him so that he enjoyed his boyhood. Now that he will be a man the kingdom will be seeing more of him.

The king and the queen are excited about the traditional initiation of Sinethemba and Ongama.

“We are filled with pride because it means as parents we hit a milestone. Soon they will be heads of their own houses,” Dalindyebo said.

“I raised Ongama as my own son. My sons going through this rite of passage is touching. I am overwhelmed with joy.

“Soon they will be heads of their own houses.”

Nokwanda said she was the happiest mother in the world.

“This is my first time being a zibazana [mother of an initiate] in my own right.

“I have raised many sons and have seen many of them come and go, but this time they are my own, these are my boys and I can’t tell you how proud I am of them.”

Eastern Cape House of Traditional and Khoisan Leaders chair Nkosi Mpumalanga Gwadiso described the king’s statement that he planned to retire soon as “uncommon”.

“If the king retires, that will show the evolution of the traditional leadership institution. So, we will wait and see, this will be a new phenomenon.

“Traditional leaders lead until death. I know no history of kings handing over the reins while still alive.

“There are sporadic cases of sons acting on behalf of their fathers because of their ill health or other reasons.”

AmaXhosa King Ahlangene Sigcawu’s spokesperson Nkosi Ndabele Mtoto, and Nkosi Sibongile Dumalisile rule their tribes while their fathers are still alive.

“While this is the first time I heard of a sitting king handing over the reins to his son, my father had ruled while his father was still alive and I love it,” Mtoto said.

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