The African Congress for Transformation (ACT) has expressed their deep outrage by the degrading treatment of His Majesty King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, King of the AbaThembu Nation, who has been forced to sleep outside the Union Buildings in Pretoria for three nights in an attempt to secure an audience with President Cyril Ramaphosa.
In a statement, the party said, “This disturbing scene, where a respected traditional leader and custodian of African heritage is left to plead for engagement in a so-called democratic dispensation, is a stark reminder of how low this administration has sunk in its disregard for indigenous leadership and African dignity,” they said. “It is a national disgrace that a sitting Head of State, who claims to uphold the Constitution and the unity of the Republic, would deliberately ignore the legitimate concerns of a monarch who represents a significant portion of South Africa’s citizens.,” they added. “King Dalindyebo is not just a man — he is an institution, a living symbol of the AbaThembu people’s identity, authority, and cultural sovereignty.”
The situation in Engcobo, which the King seeks to discuss, is a matter of urgent national interest. For His Majesty to be denied the respect and protocol of a formal meeting, and instead be subjected to public humiliation, raises serious questions about the commitment of the Ramaphosa-led government to traditional leadership, rural stability, and African unity.
ACT views this incident as part of a broader pattern of marginalization of traditional leaders and African institutions by a government that is increasingly detached from the realities of its people. We reiterate that our democracy must be rooted in African values, traditions, and leadership structures — not in bureaucratic arrogance and elitist exclusion.
We call on all progressive forces, civil society organisations, traditional councils, and African people at large to stand in solidarity with His Majesty King Dalindyebo and demand an immediate meeting with President Ramaphosa. Respect for traditional leadership is not optional — it is constitutional and historical.
We further call on the Commission on Traditional Leadership Disputes and Claims and the National House of Traditional Leaders to speak out against this insult and demand accountability from the Presidency.
Let this be the last time an African King is made to camp outside state institutions like a beggar in a country he helped build through bloodline, heritage, and sacrifice.
