Why AbaThembu king cannot remove Mandla Mandela as chief

ABATHEMBU King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo does not have the power to remove the grandson of former president Nelson Mandela, Mandla Mandela, as the chief of Mvezo, says the National House of Traditional Leaders.

Dalindyebo recently announced that he had deposed Mandla Mandela as the inkosi of Mvezo Traditional Authority in the Eastern Cape. When asked about the king’s decision to remove him, Mandela declined to comment, referring media questions to the king. 

The king made the announcement to remove Mandla Mandela from the traditional position during an event, which seems to have been attended by religious leaders. He said he did not want any inkosi who did not respect him to continue holding traditional powers in his AbaThembu Nation.

“I want each inkosi who is not on good terms with me to leave the land of Dalindyebo,” he told the crowd. 

He said the Mvezo chieftaincy was given to Nelson Mandela as an honour “not to him (Mandela)”.

“He must leave me alone because he lacks respect. Today I pronounce that Mandla Mandela is no longer the inkosi of Mvezo.

“While we are busy working hard to save our children here, he is busy with the plight of the Palestinian children. Palestine must give him the land where he is going to be the inkosi, not here in the Thembu land,” said the king. 

He said the AbaThembu land belongs to the king not to amakhosi (chiefs).

“Amakhosi are ruling over the land at the behest of the king,” he said.

However, National House of Traditional Leaders deputy chairperson Inkosi Langa Mavuso  said only the government can remove a traditional leader from the position using the relevant law. 

The Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Amendment Act, which governs traditional leaders, states that such a leader may be removed from office if convicted of an offence with a sentence of imprisonment for more than 12 months without an option of a fine, is physically incapacity or mental infirmity, wrongful appointment or recognition, or a transgression of a customary rule or principle that warrants removal.

“The law does not allow the king (to depose an inkosi), so he cannot,” said Mavuso. 

“It is the family of inkosi who had the power to appoint an inkosi, not the premier and not a king, because they (family members) are the custodians of the chieftaincy.” 

He also disputed King Dalindyebo’s claim that the position was only given to the first democratically elected president for honouring his role in the Struggle against apartheid, and not to Mandela. 

“Even the father of Nelson Mandela was the inkosi, but he was deposed. Mandla is now rebuilding the chieftaincy of his family.” 

Mavuso said it was not the first time King Dalindyebo attempted to depose an inkosi, as he previously tried that with Inkosi Thandisizwe Mtirara. 

“Inkosi Mtirara took him to court, and he (Dalindyebo) was found wanting by the court,” said Mavuso.

It was alleged that the bad blood between King Dalindyebo and Mandela worsened when the king recently hosted the Israeli delegation in Mthatha. 

Eastern Cape Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa Chairperson, Inkosi Mwelo Nonkonyana, concurred with Mavuso, saying traditional leaders are appointed by royal families concerned in accordance with customary law and applicable legislation, and they do not serve at the pleasure of their Majesty Kings.

He said the removal of traditional leaders in the Eastern Cape is regulated by the Eastern Cape Traditional Leadership and Governance Act No.1 of 2017 if there is evidence of wrong conduct or wrongful appointment. 

Nonkonyana said the process of removing an inkosi should start with the premier appointing a tribunal to investigate a complaint against the inkosi. 

Nonkonyana said Dalindyebo’s announcement about Mandela’s chieftaincy was not big “at all”.

“He is known for just speaking off the cuff, and it (announcement) does not have an impact,” said Nonkonyama.   

Dalinyebo’s spokesperson Princess Ntando Dalindyebo, said the king derives the powers to depose an inkosi “customarily”. She did not answer any more questions.

Cape Times