Dalindyebo declares Mandla Mandela no longer Mvezo chief
AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo
Image: FILE
The traditional leader of Mvezo, Mandla Mandela, has been removed from his position, abaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo said.
Dalindyebo made the remarks in a video widely circulating on social media.
Mandela is the grandson of the late former president Nelson Mandela and was installed as chief of the Mvezo Traditional Council in 2007, taking up a role within the abaThembu traditional leadership structure in the Eastern Cape.
"Today, I pronounce that Mandela is no longer chief at Mvezo," Dalindyebo said in the video.
"He thinks we are playing here.
"While we are busy trying to save our own children here, he is saving children in Palestine.
"Let Palestine give him chieftaincy. He is no longer welcome here."
He then said Mandela disrespected him.
"Each chief that has something against me or a beef with me must pack his belongings and leave my [kingdom].
"We only honoured his grandfather and not him ... he [Mandla Mandela] is disrespectful."
Approached for comment, Mandela said he had not made the comments and referred the reporter to Dalindyebo.
In 2025, Mandela joined an international pro-Palestinian flotilla that set sail in an attempt to reach Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid and show solidarity with Palestinians.
Mandela publicly said his participation was in support of Palestinian rights and drew parallels between the Palestinian struggle and SA’s fight against apartheid.
His involvement drew international attention.
In recent years, he has spoken at pro-Palestinian events and has criticised Israel’s actions in Gaza.
A spokesperson for Dalindyebo told IOL"the king will release a statement shortly".
Dalindyebo has also told people under his traditional authority to vote for the African Transformation Movement in the upcoming local elections, as previously reported.
He also criticised both the ANC and the EFF.
He described the EFF's leader, Julius Malema as a “sleepwalker” and rejected the ANC leadership in areas under his authority.
In 2013, a similar situation unfolded when Dalindyebo said he planned to remove Mandela from his position as chief of Mvezo after a dispute between them.
At the time, the king accused Mandela of actions that he said showed disrespect to the royal family and traditional custom.
Dalindyebo claimed that Mandela was not the rightful chief and said he wanted to “eject” him from the role, though Mandla’s supporters said a proper customary process would be required to remove a chief.
Mandela responded by rejecting the king’s threats, calling him “delusional” and saying the king did not have the authority to remove him without following the established customary processes for appointing or removing chiefs.
IOL