ABATHEMBU King, Buyelekhaya Zwelibanzi Dalindyebo, and his son, Prince Azenathi Dalindyebo, seem to have put their differences aside after the latter suddenly decided that he no longer wanted to pursue an assault case he had opened against his father; opting, instead, for an out-of-court settlement.
The truce between the two played out in court on September 20, where King Dalindyebo was due to make his latest court appearance in a case of assault for allegedly attacking his son last year.
The case was opened by Prince Azenathi at Bityi police station after King Dalindyebo allegedly trespassed at the Bumbane Great Place and attacked Azenathi and wife in the early hours of the morning, on March 13, 2020.
“We view the step taken by Prince Azenathi to withdraw the assault case against his father, King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, as an important milestone towards unity within the royal family that will also pave the way for the king to return to his homestead, Bumbane Royal Palace,” said King Dalindyebo’s spokesperson, Prince Mthunzi Ngonyama.
Ngonyama said he had no details on whether the assault case against the king had been formally withdrawn or what would transpire between now and October 20, which was the next scheduled date for the king’s court appearance.
King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo and his son Azenathi have been involved in legal battles and public mud-slinging since the king was released from prison on parole in December 2019.
His imprisonment followed his conviction on seven counts of kidnapping, three of assault, three of arson, one of culpable homicide and one of defeating the ends of justice. He was subsequently sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment from December 2015.
In June last year, Prince Azenathi unsuccessfully tried to challenge his father’s reinstatement as AbaThembu King, in court, which then led to King Dalindyebo publicly disowning him and even calling for a DNA test to prove that he was not his biological son.
Recently, King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo successfully challenged a restraining order which his son had obtained barring him from the Bumbane Royal Palace.
