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The Democratic Alliance's Eastern Cape leader, Atholl Trollip, has rescheduled his meeting with Abathembu King, Buyelekhaya Dalinyebo.
The meeting was scheduled for this Friday but has been postponed because of a family bereavement.
Trollip, however, told Algoa FM News that he wants to pursue the meeting with the King following recent criticism of the ANC-led government and strong comments about president Jacob Zuma.
He says while the King has not signed up with the DA yet, they will chat about how the two parties can potentially work together.
"The most interesting thing about this whole initiative as far as I'm concerned is that the DA does respect traditional leaders and the role that they play in their communities. And, the fact that the King of the Abathembu nation can go on record as saying that he would like to become a DA member and to support the DA to become an alternative government is so important in a fledgeling democracy. What it is says is that people are free to choose, even Kings."
Meanwhile, King Dalinyebo has been sentenced to jail time on several charges.
He is appealing a 2009 case in which he was sentenced to 15 years for a range of charges that included arson, culpable homicide and assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm.
Trollip says these are cause for concern, however, adding that King Dallinyebo has had his day in court.
"We have a president in our country that has 20 times more charges that King Buyelekhaya Dalinyebo. He refuses to go to court to answer those charges, in fact he's manipulated the National Prosecuting Authority so that he doesn't have to go to court."
"So, yes we are concerned about people who have charges and we are concerned about people's reputation, especially high-profile people who become members of the Democratic Alliance, but you know we've got some precedents in the country where we have a president who doesn't set a very good example," Trollip added.
