Premier Oscar Mabuyane and AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo have smoked the peace pipe.
On Wednesday, the two leaders had a day-long private meeting at the king’s Nkululekweni private residence in Mthatha.
This came a week after Mabuyane threw down the gauntlet over the king’s allegations that the premier was colluding with extortionists.
The king had accused Mabuyane of being among “beneficiaries” of extortion of the self-styled Mthatha West headman Sakhumzi Dalinzolo Mareke who, along with two suspects, was killed in a shoot-out in Mthatha with members of the police National Intervention Unit, tasked with tackling extortion syndicates in the province.
Dalindyebo has not provided proof of his allegations.
Mabuyane had since opened a case against the king over his remarks.
But on Wednesday, the two leaders were seen laughing, hugging and shaking hands and even had lunch together at the king’s private residence.
The meeting was strictly private, though other traditional leaders including former justice and correctional services deputy minister and AbaThembu senior traditional leader, Nkosi Phathekile Holomisa, Nkosi Thanduxolo Mtirara and Prince Babalo Papu, among other leaders, were also at the king’s residence.
Dalindyebo’s daughter and spokesperson, Princess Ntando Dalindyebo, confirmed the meeting.
“It was strictly private, even as the family we did not know what they were discussing.
“It was the two of them alone behind closed doors in their meeting deliberating whatever they were discussing.
“We can confirm that the premier was here, but we do not know what they were discussing and what the resolutions of the meeting were.
“They treated it strictly private,” Ntando said.
The premier could not be reached for comment.
Mabuyane earlier said he would not insult or exchange words with the king in the media.
The king made the allegations against the premier when addressing a crowd at Laphumikhwezi Primary School recently after at least five schools were targeted by extortionists.
One school closed for a week as teachers and pupils feared for their lives.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa confirmed at the time that “the premier of the Eastern Cape opened a case of crimen injuria at the Bhisho SAPS”.
It is not known whether the premier has decided to drop the case against the king after their meeting.
The king’s former head of royal protocol and Mthatha West community leader, Jonas JJ Ndzambule, said he initiated the meeting between the king and the premier.
“I phoned both parties and requested the meeting and I am happy it went well.
“Any good citizen and patriot who loves the AbaThembu kingdom could not rejoice and feel comfortable with the public spat between the two leaders.
“This row was not good for the government and the AbaThembu royal household. Both are of AbaThembu,” Ndzambula said.
He was not part of the meeting.
Mabuyane and Dalindyebo are related through their clan, with Mabuyane from Ndungwana lineage and Dalindyebo a direct descendant of Dlomo, where the kingship of AbaThembu lies.
AmaNdungwana is one of the royal houses of the AbaThembu nation whose kingship is now in the Dlomo royal house, led by Dalindyebo.
Ndungwana, Balisa, Hlanga and Dlomo were sons of King Nxeko.
“It is also in that context and that the two are senior leaders in their respective sectors that people were disappointed with the media catfight between the two leaders, rather than focusing on assisting crime, especially in Mthatha, and of course not shielding one another if they are involved in any criminal activities,” said Ndzambule.
Their meeting comes two days before the three-day Ibuyambo YamaNdungana national conference at Banzi royal place in Cofimvaba, from Friday to Sunday.
It is not clear whether the king will also attend in the company of Mabuyane after their meeting.
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