AbaThembu king Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo faces a possible return to jail after a dramatic bust-up with his family this week.
Dalindyebo is out on a warning after he was arrested in the early hours of Friday morning for alleged assault and damage to property.
The monarch was reported to have arrived at the palace, Bumbane Great Place, outside Mthatha in the Eastern Cape, at 2am on Friday, wielding an axe. He is said to have forcibly broken into the building.
Dalindyebo was released on parole in December after spending four years behind bars, following the remission of his 12-year sentence for arson, kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice, among other crimes.
His son, Azenathi Dalindyebo, who has been the acting king while his father was in prison, and his wife were reportedly injured during this week's alleged attack.
Dalindyebo has a frosty relationship with his son. Though he initially wanted Azenathi to act as king on his behalf while he served his jail term, he changed his mind shortly before he went to prison, saying he preferred his wife, Queen Nokwanda, to act in his stead.
They heard that it was him and ran, and that's how they got injured, it's not that he came there with an axe to attack his son
Speaking to the Sunday Times yesterday, Dalindyebo's spokesperson, Prince Mthunzi Ngonyama, denied that the controversial king had committed any assault at all.
He blamed the incident on family squabbles between Dalindyebo and Azenathi over the AbaThembu throne.
"The king wanted to go to his house; they heard him knocking and forcefully entering the house. They heard that it was him and ran, and that's how they got injured, it's not that he came there with an axe to attack his son," said Ngonyama.
Attempts to get comment from Azenathi yesterday were unsuccessful.
Dalindyebo's parole conditions are not public but reports at the time of his release said he had to report regularly to the nearest correctional facility, and be subject to random visits by officers.
Correctional services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo confirmed that the department is investigating the incident.
"This thing only happened yesterday [Friday], so you have got to conduct an investigation and police are also working on the matter," he said.
"Once you are clear about what really transpired, then you are able to put together a profile that will go before the parole board."
Nxumalo declined to say what Dalindyebo's parole conditions are, saying the department no longer discloses these.
"We never disclose those conditions because they are like a contract between a parolee and us, correctional services, and those conditions there to assist the parolee to adjust and to live a normal life," he said.
The crimes for which Dalindyebo was handed the 12-year jail sentence included three counts of assault.
The justice & correctional services minister's spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, said Dalindyebo would have to appear before the parole board to explain himself.
"If you commit a crime while you are under parole - it does not have to be related to the crime that you were convicted for . the correctional services parole board immediately reviews your parole and they assess [the situation]," he said.
"So in this case of Dalindyebo, he is going to appear before the parole board . and then the parole board will assess the extent of the violation. They may find that his version is that, 'Look, it wasn't assault, what happened was XYZ'."
Phiri said based on how the board operates, Dalindyebo could be asked to appear before it in less than a month.
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