PH
President Jacob Zuma will decide whether to grant AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo a presidential pardon after all internal processes are concluded, the Presidency said on Tuesday.
Last month, Zuma referred a letter and petition from the Eastern Cape chairperson of the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa), Inkosi Mwelo Nonkonyane, to the justice and correctional services department.
The department was responsible for processing such applications, presidency spokesperson Bongani Majola said in a statement.
“Upon completion of all the internal processes, the minister will submit the king’s application for pardon to the president for a decision.”
In 2009, Dalindyebo was sentenced to 15 years in prison for culpable homicide, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, arson, and kidnapping.
He was granted bail pending the outcome of his appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal. In October last year, the SCA set aside his culpable homicide conviction and reduced his sentence to 12 years.
On December 15, the Constitutional Court dismissed Dalindyebo’s appeal against his 12-year jail sentence.
His crimes involved the treatment he meted out to some of his subjects in 1995 and 1996.
Members of the AbaThembu clan arrived at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Tuesday to march in support of the presidential pardon.
eNCA reporter Xoli Mngambi tweeted that the group intended handing over a petition signed by people supporting Dalindyebo’s release.
