The relationship between AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo and former South African President Jacob Zuma has evolved from one of public hostility and political defiance to mutual support and reconciliation in recent years.
In a statement form the AbaThembu Royal House, King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo of the AbaThembu Nation will undertake a working visit to KwaZulu-Natal to engage in high-level consultative meetings with former President of the Republic of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, and His Majesty King Misuzulu kaZwelithini of the Zulu Nation.
“The purpose of the visit is to strengthen relations between traditional leadership institutions, promote unity and cooperation among South Africa’s royal houses, and to exchange views on matters of mutual interest affecting traditional leadership, nation-building, social cohesion, and the socio-economic development of communities,” the statement reads.
During his engagement with former President Jacob Zuma, King Dalindyebo will reflect on issues of national importance, including governance, leadership, and the role of traditional leaders in supporting democracy and development in South Africa.
“The meeting will also provide an opportunity to draw on the former President’s experience in advancing dialogue and stability within the country. Among the central issues also be discussed is the King visit to Israel.”
“The meeting will focus on reinforcing the historic bonds between the AbaThembu and Zulu Nations, fostering collaboration between the two royal houses, and discussing shared challenges and opportunities facing traditional leadership in the contemporary South African context,”they added.
King Dalindyebo views this working visit as part of an ongoing commitment to constructive engagement, respectful dialogue, and partnership in advancing the interests of traditional communities and contributing positively to the broader national and international discourse.
The AbaThembu king recently received backlash for travelled to Israel as part of a delegation hosted by Israel’s foreign affairs minister, Gideon Sa’ar. The purpose of the visit was for the king to gain an “authentic picture” of the situation on the ground after the October 7 2023 attack by meeting people and experiencing the country firsthand.
The royal houses of AmaNdungwana and AmaQiya viewed the visit as a deliberate and harmful political endorsement.
“This dissociation is made with profound regret and a deep sense of responsibility to the heritage and moral conscience of the AbaThembu nation,” they said.
They interpret the visit as a deliberate engagement in a campaign of political propaganda amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, further condemning the visit as an attempt “to obscure the grave and ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and to confer unwarranted legitimacy upon the systemic oppression practiced in the West Bank.”
“When a leader demonstrates public sympathy for the proponents of apartheid and genocide, the fundamental question of his fitness to hold such a sacred trust must be examined. A crown tarnished by such associations cannot command the respect and unity of the nation it is meant to serve,” the royal houses added.
The Abathembu Royal House agued that such an alignment is “morally indefensible” and directly contradicts the AbaThembu’s “historical legacy of resistance against oppression”.
Bongi Sikelo 