King Dalindyebo accused of meddling in AmaTshezi royal family matters
The family alleged King imposed Prince Xolisa Cebiso, 30, Nowinase’s son, as their headman against the will of the royal family
The AmaTshezi royal family, including the children of Nkosikazi Nowinase Nombulelo Ngubenani, the Coffee Bay traditional leader who was murdered in 2007, have accused AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Zwelibanzi Dalindyebo of interfering in their family’s royal matters.
Many people believed Nowinase was killed because people did not want to be led by a woman.
At the time of her death, Nowinase was the headwoman of AmaTshezi in Mthonjana near Elliotdale.
The family alleged Dalindyebo imposed Prince Xolisa Cebiso, 30, Nowinase’s son, as their headman against the will of the royal family, and disregarded the royal family’s resolution that Princess Noloyiso Phali, Nowinase’s daughter, be the headwoman.
Royal family chair Princess Nolonwabo Ngubenani said: “Xolisa who was [allegedly] born out of wedlock and only came home after Mzoxolo Ngubenani died, has no claim whatsoever to the position, and only Nowinase’s own daughters can lay a legitimate claim to the headmanship.
“Because we are women, the king does not want us to take the reins.
“We have nothing personally against Xolisa — we share the same mother — but he was not born from our father and therefore culturally does not qualify to inherit the traditional leadership.”
Ngubenani died on September 24 2007 when she and 15 relatives were in a hut that was torched and sprayed with bullets, in what is believed to be a power struggle assassination.
Her sister, Nophumzile Nkonkwane, died of her burns a few weeks later, on October 11 2007.
The attack was the culmination of a fiveyear violent power struggle because some residents would not accept being ruled by a woman.
Mthonjana, a beautiful area near Hole-inthe-Wall, has since 2001 been ravaged by infighting over the headmanship of AmaTshezi.
This has resulted in the deaths of about 10 people, including Nowinase, her husband Mzoxolo, Nkonkwane, and Nkonkwane’s husband.
More than 30 homesteads were set alight and more than 40 men arrested in connection with the violence in Mthonjana.
“The king is aware that Xolisa is not Mzoxolo’s biological son,” said Ngubenani on Wednesday.
“On June 28 2021, we were summoned by the king to be told that Xolisa was ready to take the reins. My mother Nowinase Ngubenani left her marriage home in 1989.
“Three years later she gave birth to Xolisa Cebiso. It was only after my father Mzoxolo was gunned down in 2001 that she came back to her marriage home in Coffee Bay for the traditional mourning ritual.
“She later brought young Xolisa and two other sons. Mzoxolo only had three children, all daughters,” Ngubenani said.
She said Dalindyebo unilaterally decided to appoint Xolisa as heir.
“The king has not consulted the royal family,” she said.
On October 19 2007, at Nowinase’s funeral, Dalindyebo announced that her then 24year-old daughter Lindiwe Ngubenani was, with immediate effect, going to be regent headwoman for Xolisa until he was old enough.
At the time he warned: “I want to see who will defy me, saying he will not accept being ruled by a woman.”
On Wednesday, Xolisa declined to comment on the matter until after Friday.
Through his spokesperson Prince Mthunzi Ngonyama, King Dalindyebo said the matter was still an internal royal matter.