By Celani Sikhakhane
Controversial AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo has won a rare victory in court which affirms the authority of the king over his land.
The king recently fired two indunas who were giving sites away without the approval of the king.
In traditional law, no induna is allowed to give away sites without a full council deciding when such sites will be allocated, to whom and on which land.
Rural land is often divided between residential land, agricultural fields, communal grazing fields, recreational facilities and state services like clinics, schools, sports grounds and community halls.
In this case, the two refused to respect the finding of the traditional authority and took the matter to the magistrate’s court in Mthatha and the court dismissed their case.
They are ANC councillors at King Sabatha Dalindyebo Local Municipality Thembisile Gqiba and SA National Taxi Council regional secretary Bishop Yolelo.
Both Gqiba and Yolelo were fired from the traditional council of AbaThembu after they were accused of fraud.
His Majesty fired them in March this year after his traditional authority found them guilty.
On Friday, Magistrate Richard Brooks ruled against them.
The king said that this matter should have ended at his Great Palace of Bumbano where the decision was taken.
“The police need to intervene to enforce the court ruling. I also call on people to come to their sober senses after this decision because it needs to be respected. I cannot fold my arms while there are wrong things that are being done in my father’s land,” he said.
The case is seen as an important test case in entrenching the authority of Amakhosi and Kings over community land in various traditional authorities across the country.
Various disputes remain unresolved between various towns and traditional authorities, especially over land that is earmarked for private-sector development.
Pictured above: King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo of AbaThembu wants police to block an ANC councillor and a taxi boss from working as headmen.
Image source: X
