A South African king, who is a nephew of the late Nelson Mandela, has been awarded a 12-year prison sentence for kidnapping, assault and arson.

King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo reported to prison after his legal attempts to overturn his conviction failed. He comes from the Thembu clan, to which Mr Mandela, South Africa’s first black president, belonged.

He is the first monarch to be jailed in South Africa since minority rule ended in 1994. King Dalindyebo, 51, ascended to the throne in 1989. South Africa has 10 officially recognised monarchs representing different ethnic groups and clans.They play a largely ceremonial role, and attend to minor disputes within their communities.