The department of correctional services says it has not yet responded to a memorandum calling for a presidential pardon for AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo.
The call for the pardon‚ which would see the monarch released from jail‚ was drafted by Prince Langalibalele Mthunzi Ngonyama‚ Dalidyebo’s spokesman‚ and directed to President Cyril Ramaphosa.
It was submitted in East London on Monday. “If our heritage is indeed‚ so important to you as the head of state‚ our kings are the custodians of our heritage‚ allowing one to rot in jail‚ is working against the same spirit of ubuntu‚” the prince said in the petition.
The petition said the basis of the plea for a presidential pardon was because “our king has followed all the due processes to put his side of the story across but all of his attempts yielded no positive outcome”.