The AbaThembu monarch King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo has publicly banned the ANC from his land, saying he “no longer wants anything associated with the ANC” during a gala event in Mthatha on Thursday. The declaration is the latest in a pattern of highly publicised changes in the king’s political affiliations.
Remarks at Mthatha gala
King Dalindyebo made the comments at the Tailor Made Insurance & Skills Development Gala Dinner Launch, organised by the AbaThembu royal kingdom in partnership with Nazerene, held at the Mayfair Hotel in Mthatha. According to reporting, he told guests he was expressing “deep anger” and that no ANC should continue ruling.
“I am expressing deep anger that no ANC should continue ruling, deep anger. I no longer want anything associated with the ANC. Not in my house, not in my land, not in my fence.”
ANC response and local silence
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula declined to respond directly to the monarch’s remarks, saying he would not engage the king and referring queries to the party’s Eastern Cape leadership. The party’s provincial structures, including the OR Tambo region based in Mthatha, could not be reached for comment, the report stated.
A history of switching allegiances
The monarch’s pronouncement is consistent with a long record of public political realignments. Reporting notes several key shifts in his affiliations and endorsements over the past decade-plus. These moves have included defections and endorsements across major and smaller parties, and public criticism of former allies.
| Year | Political move / note |
|---|---|
| 2013 | Defected from the ANC to the DA |
| December 2023 | Rejoined the ANC |
| April 2024 | Endorsed the EFF |
| February 2026 | Shifted endorsement to the African Transformation Movement |
Legal past remains part of the public record
Public records referenced in the reporting recall the king’s 2009 conviction on multiple charges including arson, kidnapping, culpable homicide, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, and defeating the ends of justice. He was sentenced to 15 years and spent more than five years appealing the conviction, the report said. Those events and the king’s outspoken interventions in politics have kept him a polarising figure in the region.
Local political implications
In the Eastern Cape—where the ANC retains strong organisational roots—public statements by traditional leaders can resonate with communities, particularly in rural areas where chieftaincy remains influential. The king’s repeated public shifts may complicate how parties approach traditional authorities in the run-up to future elections or local mobilisation efforts.
- Symbolic weight: The king’s ban is symbolic and aimed at signalling disaffection rather than legal exclusion, given the constitutional rights of political parties to operate.
- Electoral impact: While traditional leaders can influence local sentiment, past evidence suggests voter behaviour is determined by multiple factors, including service delivery and party organisation.
- Party strategy: The ANC’s deferral to its provincial structures indicates the matter is being handled internally rather than escalated by national figures.
What remains unclear
The reporting did not indicate whether the king’s remarks will be followed by concrete action—such as formal exclusion of party events from royal premises—or whether they represent a rhetorical rebuke. No comment was obtained from the Eastern Cape ANC leadership at the time of reporting.
The continued interplay between traditional authority and party politics in the Eastern Cape will be closely watched by political operatives ahead of future municipal and national campaigning cycles. For now, the king’s statement stands as the most recent public example of how local personalities can disrupt expected political alignments.
Reporting was based on accounts from the gala event and statements attributed to ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula as published in the original report.
