Leaders must serve and protect the people!

Wednesday, 06 August 2014

The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Eastern Cape has noted the developments in the matter involving King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, the Abathembu Royal Council and the President of the Republic, Honourable Jacob Zuma.

The SACP has since learnt that the President did not initiate the dethroning of the Thembu King as many would like us to believe, but he was merely responding to a clarion call made by some within Abathembu Royal Council as guided by the legal framework governing traditional processes.

Any leader with no exception of the Kings should serve the people and protect them at any given time. That should be done with the understanding that there is no one who is above the law even those "born as leaders". None of us is born as subjects of anybody; therefore the dangers of regarding people as mere subjects is that you will treat them with gross disrespect and abuse them.

We have also noted with concern the insults hurled by King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo towards the person of the President. These rude and backward insults should not be viewed as undermining the persona of President but that of the people of South Africa, as he is the product of a democratic electoral process. If President Zuma is insulted for executing his constitutional mandate, that requires the people of South Africa including those of the Thembu nation to rise in defence of our constitution.

These insults should be viewed as an attempt to mobilise people to disrespect the legitimate government. They should be viewed as an attempt to erode confidence not only of the Thembu nation but of the people in the government they have rightfully elected.

We believe that these rebellious actions by King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo should not be viewed in isolation from the fact that he once attempted to build "a country" within South Africa. This should be viewed within the context of a leader who wants to mobilise people against the state as he cannot subject himself to the rule of law.

As the SACP we are calling upon the people of South Africa to ensure that they keep their leaders with no exception of traditional leaders accountable and of greater service to the people. We must ensure that their actions and their conduct are befitting to the roles and responsibilities bestowed upon them.

Statement issued by the SACP Eastern Cape Provincial Executive Committee, August 6 2014

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