Cape Town – Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has kept his promise and gifted King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo a brand new luxury Mercedes Benz SUV estimated at R1.8 million.
Malema handed over the keys to the king on Saturday at the monarch’s Nkululekweni private residence in Mthatha.
During an EFF campaign trail in Mthatha, a few days before the just ended local government elections, the AbaThembu king told the crowd in attendance that Malema had promised to gift him a brand new SUV.
“Let me tell you about something beautiful that the CIC is going to do for me. The CIC will gift me with a brand new ML,” Dalindeybo said at the time, drawing applause from the crowd.
[HAPPENING NOW ?]: King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo speaking at the community meeting to be addressed by CIC @Julius_S_Malema.
The king has declared that he will be voting EFF and encouraged abaThembu to #VoteEFF
He also thanked the CIC for the GIFT he has given him. pic.twitter.com/Y3sNYyXBzJ
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) October 24, 2021
Receiving his shiny black set of wheels, the king expressed his happiness, saying the car was above what he had expected.
Watch the video clip below (Courtesy Newzroom Afrika)
“I’m feeling brand new … like a multi-millionaire, just like the car. I’m very happy. It’s way above what I had expected. This is something else. What a wonderful surprise. So grateful, I’ve been placed on top of the world,” Dalindyebo said.
Malema dismissed claims that his party was bribing the king with gifts, saying the EFF had been with the king from the time he was in prison.
[IN PICTURES ?]
Befitting for a King and Queen!#EFFWelcomesKingDalindyebo pic.twitter.com/QUDUlggh8R
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) November 13, 2021
According to IOL, Dalindyebo was in 2015 sentenced to 15 years in jail for kidnapping, assault and arson, but was released after serving just four years in prison, when the president granted some prisoners early parole last year.
Malema said that it was wrong to send the king to jail.
[IN PICTURES ?]
CIC @Julius_S_Malema and DP @FloydShivambu unwrapping the EFF gift to His Majesty King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo.
DP handed the keys to the appreciative hands of His Majesty.#EFFWelcomesKingDalindyebo pic.twitter.com/GnuJGjuQjb
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) November 13, 2021
“We are not here to bribe the king because we were with the king in prison when they all abandoned him and they decided to imprison the king. What a taboo this government did to our own AbaThembu nation.
“We are not going to be told by whiteness as to how we should honour and support our traditional leadership. Kumkani (king) Dalindyebo is our hero,” The Citizen quoted Malema as saying.
The EFF’s gift to His Majesty King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo !#EFFWelcomesKingDalindyebo pic.twitter.com/18bVyR7Yry
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) November 13, 2021
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Picture: Twitter/@EFFSouthafrica
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