The Royal House of AbaThembu in the Eastern Cape has denied reports on social media that King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo welcomed and granted royalty to a Nigerian national.
The posts, which have been widely shared online, are being described by the royal house as “fake news”.
AbaThembu royal ambassador and senior royal advisor Adv Matthew Mpahlwa said the claims come from “sick and depraved minds.”
“The Royal House of AbaThembu wishes to distance itself from the trending social media posts and pictures purporting to portray King Dalindyebo as welcoming and officially granting royalty to a particular Nigerian national,” Mpahlwa said.
He added: “It would appear that the social media posts are a product of fake news, sick and depraved minds.
“As such, no further comment will be issued in this regard.”
Videos and images have been going viral on social media, showing a lavish coronation ceremony where Chief Solomon Ogbonna Eziko was crowned “Igwe Ndigbo”.
The African Transformation Movement (ATM), earlier this week, called on the government to investigate reports of the so-called coronation.
“ATM views this incident as a dangerous precedent that undermines not only the authority of legitimate traditional leaders but also the rule of law,” the party said.
Dalindyebo recently grabbed headlines when he publicly ordered his subjects to vote for the ATM in the upcoming local elections, while criticising both the ANC and EFF.
In a speech, the controversial traditional leader, who was once a supporter of the EFF, called its party leader Julius Malema a “sleepwalker”.
He also condemned and rejected the ANC leadership in his territory.
“We do not want ANC leaders,” he said, adding that “we do not want one of their leaders here, [nor do we] want their demarcation.”
His attack on Malema was despite the EFF having gifted him a brand new Mercedes-Benz in November 2021.
Mandela is the grandson of the late former president Nelson Mandela and was installed as chief of the Mvezo Traditional Council in 2007, taking up a role within the AbaThembu traditional leadership structure.
“Today, I pronounce that Mandela is no longer chief at Mvezo,” Dalindyebo said.
“He thinks we are playing here.
“While we are busy trying to save our own children here, he is saving children in Palestine.
“Let Palestine give him chieftaincy. He is no longer welcome here.”
He then said Mandela disrespected him.
“Each chief that has something against me or a beef with me must pack his belongings and leave my [kingdom].
“We only honoured his grandfather and not him … he [Mandla Mandela] is disrespectful.”
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Brandon Nel
iol.co.za