Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba has hailed the installation of Thovhele Livhuwani Ntshandule Mutele as senior traditional leader as a watershed moment for traditional leadership in South Africa.
Speaking at the Mutele Sports Grounds in Hamutele on Friday, Ramathuba said the Mutele clan had made history by recognising that women, too, carried the calling of leadership from birth and were chosen by ancestors to preserve culture and advance their people.
"This is not only historic, but transformative. It marks the dawn of a new chapter where patriarchy gives way to progressive customs, where wisdom is no longer measured by gender, and where traditional leadership evolves without losing its soul," said Ramathuba.
The installation ceremony saw Thovhele Mutele become the first woman to ascend to the traditional throne of the Mutele people, following a lineage that includes Thovhele Ndwammbi Mutele, Thovhele Jack Tshitangoni and Khosi John Khorommbi.
Ramathuba described the new leader as uniquely qualified for the role. Thovhele Mutele, daughter of the late Khosi Mutele Khorommbi John and Nndafhiseni Emmah, completed matric at Thengwe High School before earning an honours degree in social work with psychology from the University of Venda.
"She is a leader who understands the struggles of the people, not from a distance, but from a place of empathy and purpose. This combination of education, tradition and spirituality places her among a new generation of traditional leaders who are prepared not only to preserve heritage but also to confront modern challenges with intellectual courage," the premier said.
Ramathuba urged young traditional leaders to pursue education, saying royal blood alone was no longer sufficient in the modern era.
Makhadzi Emmah Mudalahothe welcomed the installation and pledged her support to the new senior traditional leader.