South African King Charged in Ax Attack

King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo went after his son, police say
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Mar 13, 2020 3:38 PM CDT
South Africa Charges King of Clan With Ax Attack
AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo attends the state funeral of former South African President Nelson Mandela in 2013.   (AP Photo/Siphiwe Sibeko, Pool, File)

A controversial king of South Africa's AbaThembu, the traditional clan of founding president Nelson Mandela, has been arrested after allegedly attacking family members with an ax at their royal homestead. South African police confirmed Friday that King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo has been charged with malicious damage to property and assault by threats, the AP reports. He allegedly attacked his son Azenathi, who had been acting on his behalf while he was in prison for assaulting some members of his clan and setting their homes alight. The two have been reported to have a rocky relationship, and King Dalindyebo opposes his son succeeding him as leader.

Dalindyebo's arrest follows his release on parole in December after serving four years of a 12-year sentence for aggravated assault, kidnapping, and arson. He was granted parole after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced last year that certain categories of prisoners should be released. It in unclear how the new allegations against him will affect his parole and his application for a presidential pardon, which is currently being considered by Ramaphosa. In 2013, Dalindyebo denounced the ruling African National Congress party, claiming the party and then leader Jacob Zuma were corrupt and had distorted the legacy of Mandela, the nation's founding president. Dalindyebo joined the liberal opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, which withdrew his membership after he was sent to jail.

(More South Africa stories.)

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