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King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo of the Abathembu in South Africa has said he wants to rule like President Mugabe, whom he considers a role model for Africa’s political leaders.

The South African traditional leader last week told a symposium at Walter Sisulu University that in his ideal state, homosexuality would be outlawed and the example of President Mugabe followed.

"I don’t mind to rule like (President) Mugabe and tell (President) Zuma to keep his South Africa and let me keep my Thembuland. No man will be allowed to sleep with another man in my state," he said.

There are ongoing talks on the creation of an independent Thembuland State though it is widely believed these will not result in King Dalindyembo’s desired secession from South Africa.

He said blacks would only enjoy "true liberation" when they become citizens of his envisaged Thembuland State.

King Dalindyebo said while he respected anti-apartheid icon ex-president Nelson Mandela, he felt South Africa’s first democratically elected leader had not done much by way of empowering ordinary people.

The discussion was on Mr Nkosi Phatekile Holomisa’s new book "According to Tradition" and was attended by about 500 South African traditional leaders, students and staff of the university.

"According to Tradition" talks about failed transformation in South Africa, especially in rural areas and the exclusion of traditional leaders in policy issues.

Mr Holomisa, an ANC Member of Parliament, said he wrote the book after his attempts to push government to include traditional leaders in influencing policies had failed.

"Whites are still think-tanks of the ANC (government). When they go to the ANC to give advice they are listened to. Why can’t black intellectuals, including traditional leaders, be allowed to be think tanks behind the ANC?" he asked.

WSU council chairperson Dr Somadoda Fikeni agreed that white intellectuals were still influential in South Africa. — The Dispatch.