The Comrade King

Sociopolitical history of the Transkei region of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.

This South African history is told through the life story of King Sabata Dalindyebo, the King of the Thembu nation.

The film reflects on the African History of the Thembu Nation, the advent of Transkei "independence" as a tool of the Apartheid Government and the diverse roles played on that political stage by three cousins; Sabata Dalindyebo, Kaizer Matanzima and Nelson Mandela.

Sabata's journey is followed closely, from his opposition to apartheid to his dethroning, his joining of the banned African National Congress and his eventual life in forced exile.

The film follows the emergence of militant Xhosa resistance to Apartheid in the final years of the 1980's, shortly before the release of Nelson Mandela from prison.

General Bantu Holomisa's rise to political prominence in South Africa is documented as he led a military coupe against the corrupt Matanzima government of the so called "independent Transkei, and then surprised everyone by being sympathetic to the liberation movement instead of the Apartheid Pretoria government.

The film documents the glorious reburial of King Sabata Dalindyebo, The Comrade King, who had originally been buried in a pauper's grave after his funeral had been hijacked by Kaizer Matanzima.

The film was shot in 1989 and was one of 18 films broadcast in 1994 by the SABC in the series "Unbanned".

00:00 Images of King Sabata Dalindyebo's Funeral - 1st October 1989
01:10 Introduction
02:22 History of the Thembu Nation
04:27 Early years of King Sabata Dalindyebo
06:05 Family Connection to Nelson Mandela and Kaizer Matanzima
06:50 Kaizer Matanzima supports the Apartheid Government
07:53 King Sabata carries a flame of hope for his people
08:33 King Sabata and Kaiser Matanzima become enemies
09:07 Pretoria and Kaizer reduce King Sabata's jurisdiction
09:49 Kaizer is promoted
10:36 Who is the more senior? Kaizer or Sabata?
11:14 Life at home with Sabata
12:21 Sabata gets married
13:20 Sabata opposes the creation of Apartheid Homelands
14:20 Kaizer is threatened and cracks down on his opposition
17:53 Kaizer becomes first Prime Minister of "Independent" Transkei
18:21 Sabata continues to oppose Kaizer
19:18 Sabata is arrested
20:38 Sabata found guilty
21:48 Sabata deposed and goes into exile
23:54 Sabata joins the ANC
24:36 Sabata's health deteriorates
25:11 Sabata's speech on Radio Freedom
26:12 Sabata dies in exile
26:50 Kaizer hijack's Sabata's Funeral. Sabata buried in a pauper's grave
30:00 Military Coupe in Transkei led by General Bantu Holomisa
30:51 Whose side is Holomisa on?
32:36 Thembu appeal to reinstate Sabata's son, Bhuyelekhaya, as king of the Thembu.
34:14 Sabata's body is exhumed and a new funeral planned.
36:13 King Sabata's funeral marks a turning point in the fight against apartheid.