AbaThembu elders have welcomed a reconciliation between King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo and his eldest son, Prince Azenathi Dalindyebo, describing it as a crucial step in restoring unity in the AmaDlomo royal clan and the wider kingdom.
The reconciliation was publicly announced on Thursday at the king’s Nkululekweni private residence in Mthatha, during a meeting attended by traditional leaders and an Israeli delegation led by senior diplomat David Saranga.
“Blood is thicker than water. This is my blood son. Nobody can come between the two of us, family is family,” Dalindyebo declared on the stoep of his home while briefing the media.
The announcement came as a surprise, given the long and highly publicised rift between father and son, which included years of bitter disputes and a paternity battle in which the king initially denied being Azenathi’s father.
But on Thursday, they confirmed they had buried the hatchet.
“He is my son, my blood. Ups and downs are there for us to go through, hurdles are there for us to jump. We may have had our problems, but blood is thicker than water.
I am just happy to have my father’s love and support. Family is all that matters.
— Prince Azenathi Dalindyebo
“We are now reconciled. This is my blood son. Don’t ask what I said before [about Azenathi],” the king said, embracing his son.
Azenathi, 33, who is completing his LLB degree at the University of Fort Hare, said he was grateful for the renewed relationship.
“I am just happy to have my father’s love and support. Family is all that matters,” he said, adding that he had never held a grudge against his father.
As the two embraced, traditional leaders and members of the Israeli delegation looked on.
“This is a moment of great celebration. The father and the son share the same fire and passion.
“Their unity is a lesson for us all,” Dalindyebo’s uncle, Nkosi Thandisizwe Mtirara, said.
Mtirara described the reconciliation as highly emotional, noting that the rift had divided the royal family for years.
The relationship between Dalindyebo and Azenathi has been marked by public feuds, with senior members of the royal household pressured to take sides as previous reconciliation attempts failed.
One faction was led by Thandisizwe Mtirara, another by his elder brother, Nkosi Thanduxolo Mtirara.
When Dalindyebo was imprisoned in 2015, Thandisizwe’s group supported Azenathi as acting king, while Thanduxolo backed Dalindyebo’s brother, Prince Mankunku Dalindyebo.
Azenathi served as acting king from 2016 to 2019.
Both Mtirara brothers were present at Thursday’s meeting and jointly welcomed the reconciliation, calling for unity to be extended across the AmaDlomo royal clan and the entire AbaThembu kingdom.
Lessons learnt
“It was a moment of pure joy, a moment that would be etched in the memories of all of us who witnessed it. The king and prince, once at odds, are now reunited, their bond stronger than ever,” Thandisizwe said.
“We must pray for strong unity, for the AmaDlomo royal clan, for the sake of kingship and the kingdom.
“We cannot remain divided as the AbaThembu royal family while the kingdom looks to us for direction. We have learnt lessons, and we are wiser today.
“The king and his son have shown us the way; let’s take a cue from them. If we have the interest of the nation at heart, we will see the reconciliation as a very good move It is good that family members reconcile and work together for peace and unity.
“All families have infighting, but they must find a way to reconcile before it is too late.”
Thanduxolo said the reconciliation should pave the way for broader peace within the royal house.
“The reconciliation will go a long way in bringing together the whole house of Dlomo. All those aggrieved by others should now reconcile. There is nothing better than peace and reconciliation, especially between a son and a father; that is very fundamental,” he said.
Though the reconciliation only became public last week, AmaDlomo elders said the process began towards the end of 2025.
Dalindyebo and Azenathi also spoke about the importance of maintaining close family relations.
Azenathi, who has two sons aged five and eight, said family support was central to his life.
Dalindyebo has other sons, including Prince Sinethemba Solakhe Dalindyebo, 19.
In December 2024, the king said he intended to step down and hand over the reins to Sinethemba within five years, saying he had initially hoped the transition would take place in early 2025.
However, no public discussion of succession or retirement took place at Thursday’s gathering.
Dalindyebo also announced that two of his children would begin studying at one of Israel’s top universities this year.
Daily Dispatch
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