AbaThembu king wants a presidential pardon, not parole – king’s spokesperson

AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo may have to stew in prison a little longer while he waits for President Cyril Ramaphosa to respond to his request for a presidential pardon.

Ramaphosa granted the king remission of his sentence, Minister of Justice Ronald Lamola announced on Reconciliation Day.

The remission meant that 12 months of Dalindyebo’s 12-year sentence for arson, assault, kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice was reduced.

However, the king was not satisfied with the parole conditions.

His spokesperson, Mthunzi Ngonyama, spoke to News24 and said parole placed the king under stringent conditions which would be extremely difficult to comply with, “given the nature of his job”.

“Imagine a king that rules with a dark cloud hanging over his head. Lamola talked about the pending presidential pardon that [has been] sitting with the president for the last eight months, still not being concluded. He said the president is still considering it. For eight months?

“The former justice minister (Michael Masutha) recommended to the president a presidential pardon with [the] expungement of [his] criminal record in April [yet] today he is working on the report.

“The king still needs answers about his presidential pardon application to be able to make up his mind thoroughly about his condition.”

Dalindyebo has been eligible for parole since October.

Earlier this year, News24 reported that Ramaphosa was considering granting Dalindyebo a presidential pardon.

News24 also understands that some ANC national executive committee members have also campaigned on Dalindyebo’s behalf.

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