A tribal king in South Africa faces
lengthy jail time after being convicted of arson,
kidnapping and other crimes in a case that
highlighted tension between sovereignty of the state
and traditional authority structures.
Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, king of South Africa's
Thembu people, appeared to have few legal options
after the justice minister on Tuesday rejected a
petition to reopen the case.
Dalindyebo, currently out on bail, was sentenced to
15 years in prison in 2009, but the punishment was
reduced to 12 years after a manslaughter conviction
was rejected on appeal.
Dalindyebo is a flamboyant figure who once
threatened to secede from South Africa, an
announcement widely viewed as outlandish.
The king was prosecuted for burning homes and
other violence against some of his subjects in the
1990s.
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