Despite the public notice made before a huge crowd to dethrone him on Saturday, Chief Avhatakali Luvhaivhai Tshivhase maintains that he is still the rightful traditional leader of Matangari-Tshiawelo.
More than 20 traditional leaders, including a high-powered delegation from the Tshivhase Dynasty, witnessed the occasion, although Chief Luvhaivhai himself was not there. A huge head of cattle was also slaughtered while Tshikona and Tshigombela dancers braved the hot sun to entertain guests.
According to an announcement made by Matangari village's senior traditional leader, Chief Ndidivhani Nyamande, Chief Luvhaivhai would be replaced by Vhakoma Vho-Nyadzani Alfred Nemaungani, who also stays at Matangari-Tshiawelo.
When approached for comment, the confident Chief Luvhaivhai said: "I am still the chief of Matangari-Tshiawelo and I boast the support of my people. The rumours that I have been dethroned by the Tshivhase Royal Council and Chief Nyamande are news to me. I still have royal blood in my veins and I will continue to serve my people with pride. I think the root of all the controversy is that people are jealous of my hard work and community development initiatives. My subjects did not even attend the function because they know that I am still their chief."
Chief Nyamande said he was replacing Chief Luvhaivhai because there was no longer a good working relationship between the two. "When he was installed, we told him that he had to report to me but he has grown too big for his boots and he wanted to create 'an independent state' within my village. He even came to my place and told my Khoro that he wanted to stand on his own, which is a taboo in our culture because I am the senior traditional leader. I told him that he was starting a war that he would never win but he continued to cause trouble in my peaceful village. We tried to resolve the matter for a long time but he was not cooperative. I had no other alternative but to relieve him of his duties for the sake of peace in my village. As from today, everyone should know that he has been relegated to be Khotsimunene."
On the other hand, Chief Luvhaivhai said he was surprised to learn that he had been ousted from the throne. "I was never brought to Matangari by Chief Nyamande. The Tshivhase Dynasty brought me here and they have never told me that they are taking me back. When they installed me in 2002, they told me to work for the development of the community and that is exactly what I am doing. What I know is that I was still waiting for a meeting between myself, Chief Nyamande and Thovhele Kennedy Tshivhase to resolve the problems. How can they dethrone me out of the blue without even telling me? They still have to convene my subjects and tell them that I have been stripped of my powers. My people know that I am still their chief and nothing more. They are just cooking stories to dent my good image because I have a large following in the village and this makes Chief Nyamande to view me as a threat to his leadership. I also believe that my invitation by King Muswathi to attend a reed dance ceremony at Swaziland did not go down well with them. I had been invited because even people outside our country can see that I am working very hard to restore traditional leadership."
Chief Luvhaivhai said he wrote several letters to Mukumbani (Tshivhase Royal Council) to mediate the matter, but there had been no response. "I think this is a plan to bring about my downfall but it will never work. The Tshivhase Royal Council seconded me to Matangari but they turn their backs when the road gets thorny. I will never relinquish my position as long as I am still breathing."
When approached for comment, Thovhele Kennedy Midiyavhathu Tshivhase said the royal house only endorsed the recommendation made by Chief Nyamande. "That is why we sent our delegation on Saturday, because we respect Nyamande as a senior traditional leader of Matangari village. Luvhaivhai was installed by Nyamande and only Nyamande has the powers to dethrone him. We tried to resolve the matter for a long time without success. I even called other traditional leaders for a meeting to discuss the issue but there was no way forward. We endorsed Nyamande's recommendation because he is the senior traditional leader to Luvhaivhai. Our job is to make sure that there is peace and responsible governance in the country."
Thovhele Tshivhase urged junior traditional leaders to respect their seniors. "Traditional leadership is all about respect and humility. We only have to respect each other so that our subjects will also respect us," said Thovhele Tshivhase, who confessed that he had not seen Chief Luvhaivhai for the past eight months.