A Dispatch reporter has opened a case of intimidation with the police after he received threatening phone calls following a report in the paper this week about Abathembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, writes Thanduxolo Jika.
On Tuesday, the Dispatch reported how Dalindyebo was asked to broker peace between the villagers of Mvezo and their chief, Mandla Mandela, after they accused Mandela of being a bully.
Dalindyebo has been found guilty on eight counts of serious crimes which included, arson, kidnapping, culpable homicide and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
Following this report, Bongani Hans received two anonymous phone calls where he was threatened and told to apologise to the king for labelling him a criminal.
“One called me asking me why I was insulting the King and the Abathembu in the paper. The person said I must apologise to the King or I will be assaulted and not even know who is responsible,” said Hans.
One caller told Hans that he should not have written about the Dalindyebo being convicted criminal because the meeting in Mvezo had nothing to do with his trial.
Dalindyebo was found guilty by the Mthatha High Court on October 21 on charges ranging from kidnapping and assault to arson. He was also found guilty of culpable homicide.
Hans could not tell whether the callers were the same person, but they came from different numbers.
Hans has since laid a charge with the Mthatha police.
Police spokesperson Superintendent Mzukisi Fatyela said police will be investigating a case of intimidation.
On Friday, Jonas Ndzambule, who is in charge of Dalindyebo’s security, said the king was not aware of the threats and did not have anything to do with them.
“The king respects freedom of the press and at no stage did he influence any person to make threats against the Dispatch. I am shocked that there are people making anonymous calls pretending to be sent by the king,” said Ndzambule.
He said Dalindyebo did not insult the Dispatch or say anything about what it has reported regarding his convictions in the Mthatha High Court.
South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) media freedom spokesman Thabo Leshilo said this was a clear infringement on journalists to doing their job.
“That is a crudest way of infringement on a journalist to do their job. It is a good thing that the king has distanced himself from this,” said Leshilo.
He said that now he hopes that the police get to the bottom of this case speedily.
Dispatch editor Andrew Trench said: “We welcome King Dalindyebo comments distancing himself from these threats against our reporter and his commitment to press freedom. We would never for a moment imagine that he would make such threats or cause them to be made.”
6 Comments Already, Leave Yours Too
Mandla and Buyelekhaya do not understand that their position requires responsibility, accountability and maturity towards the people they lead.
These two people lack the above characteristics.
Contralesa need to move in quickly to deal with this problem, otherwise something more than the current drama is gonna give.
This is the kind of behaviour that is going to destroy the institution of traditional leadership in this country. The age of leadership by birthright is over. Traditional leaders need to understand very clearly that unless they transform their institutions to become the custodians and advocates of traditional moral values and that they earn the respect and following of their subjects, their institution will cease to exist.
This display of violent thuggery and threats is sickening in the extreme. Traditional leaders ignore this at their peril. They cannot argue for their continued existence at taxpayers’ expense if they in any way condone and allow senior traditional leaders to commit such brutal crimes.
What action has Contralesa and the Abathembu taken following Dalindyebo’s criminal conviction? If nothing, why?
Following my earlier comment, why on earth was Dalindyebo asked to mediate in a matter in which he himself is guilty? Do the Abuthembu still respect his authority? Why?
Chieftainship = traditional mafiosa!
@ plastikbayethe, you have hit the nail on the head. This is nothing more than mafia tactics. When are these so called leaders going to show some real leadership by leading by example and with compassion and fairness?
I used to be quite close to one of the community leaders in one of the townships in the then East Rand. He was a true leader and someone you could respect and treat as an almost father figure, which he was to all those in the community. He led by love and example. The sooner this country’s leaders, traditional and otherwise, realise this, the better.
Stand up and be true leaders, guys!
I think it’s fantastic that DD printed this story instead of being intimidated! Well done to the Journo’s involved!
Onsite Now
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