An Eastern Cape traditional leader recently barred from acting in 12 communities is in custody on charges of murder and attempted murder after allegedly opening fire on a group of teenagers during a traditional ceremony.
Nkosi Mlamli Njemla, 48, who heads KwaLindile and several villages, including Payne Farms, is due to appear in the Mthatha magistrate’s court on Tuesday for a formal bail application.
He is accused of shooting four teenagers during an umgidi ceremony at Payne Farms village in Mthatha on August 8. One of the teenagers died and three were wounded.
Eastern Cape police spokesperson Brig Nobuntu Gantana said Njemla handed himself over at Mthatha Central police station the following day.
“The incident allegedly took place at around 5pm, August 8, during a traditional ceremony held at Payne locality,” Gantana said.
Police said the four victims, aged 17 and 18, were taken to hospital by emergency services.
“A 17-year-old boy later succumbed to his injuries in hospital. Two of the victims were treated and discharged on the same day. The third victim, who had been in a critical condition, has since been released,” Gantana said.
The teenager who died was a relative of Njemla and is due to be buried on Saturday, according to the family.
The umgidi, a ceremony welcoming young men home from initiation school, was held at the home of Njemla’s aunt.
Njemla faces one count of murder and three counts of attempted murder.
“The investigation is ongoing, and more charges have not been ruled out,” Gantana said.
The criminal case comes weeks after the Mthatha high court issued an interim order barring Njemla from acting as a traditional leader in 12 communities.
Judge Richard Brooks granted the order on July 10 after AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Zwelibanzi Dalindyebo brought an urgent application against Njemla and several provincial government officials, including the Eastern Cape premier and co-operative governance and traditional affairs MEC.
The respondents were called on to show why the interim order should not be made final.
The order states that Njemla is not lawfully recognised as the traditional leader of New Lyndane, Old Lyndane, New Payne, Old Payne, Kaplan, Fairfield, Eagerton, Highbury, Rosedale, Qelana, Silverton and Marhambe.
Dalindyebo argues that the communities fall under his kingship within the Mthatha jurisdiction in terms of section 8 of the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act.
The court interdicted Njemla from presenting himself as the lawful traditional leader of the communities.
It also barred him from convening a meeting scheduled for July 11 — or any later date — to appoint a new sub-headman for the Highbury community.
The interim order took immediate effect pending the return date, meaning Njemla may neither act as traditional leader in the affected communities nor proceed with the Highbury meeting while the matter is before the court.
Njemla was ordered to pay the costs of the application on the attorney-and-client scale, including the costs of two counsel.
However, his royal family said it would challenge Dalindyebo’s application, arguing that the king’s actions were unlawful.
“His Majesty the King is quite aware of the legitimacy of Nkosi Ntabozuku, and he has, many times, worked with him as a recognised traditional leader. Shockingly, the king is disputing his legitimacy as a traditional leader. We will challenge it. This traditional leadership belongs to the royal family of Njemla,” Prince Zanendyebo Njemla said.
He said Njemla had been a traditional leader since 2012.
Prince Njemla declined to comment on the criminal case but confirmed that Njemla would return to court on Tuesday for his formal bail application.
“We hope that he will be granted bail. What is also worrying is that the deceased teenager is our family member; he is a Njemla, and we will be burying him this weekend,” he said.
Daily Dispatch
