abaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo has thanked Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema for saying he will buy him a brand new car.

On Sunday, the king addressed EFF supporters at a rally in Mandela Park, Mthatha where he urged them to vote for the EFF, and to let them in on a little "secret".

"Let me tell you a little secret about a beautiful gesture I will be getting from the CIC; the CIC will [buy] me a [Mercedes] ML – a brand new car," he told the crowd.

Dalindyebo said if the abaThembu people wanted the best living conditions, they should vote for the EFF in the upcoming municipal elections, adding kings did not usually vote in elections, but he would be voting this time.

He asked the crowd who he should vote for, and they emphatically responded, "EFF".

In a statement after the rally, the EFF said it was humbled by the king's endorsement.

"We welcome this call. Above all, we welcome the king's confidence in the EFF, its mission and its leadership. We accept it as a blessing and a gift we shall forever cherish. We vow that we shall never betray his confidence and faith in our movement.

"That we shall stop at nothing to fight for the dignity of the abaThembu people and all black people in general, we know that it is the king's heart's desire to see the land restored to his people, and all black people in general."

The party did not say anything about the car in its statement.

This is not the first time Dalindyebo has thrown his weight behind an opposition party.

In 2013, he officially joined the Democratic Alliance a month after making headlines for reportedly describing the African National Congress and then-president Jacob Zuma as "corrupt hooligans".