The ANC's Vhembe chairperson, Tshitereke Matibe, has called on politicians and councillors to work more closely with traditional leaders to ensure effective community development.
Matibe was speaking during a meeting with traditional leaders held at the Vhembe District Municipality Chamber on 22 May. The session was the first formal engagement between his newly elected executive council - chosen at the ANC's regional conference at Nandoni Kalahari on 4 May - and the traditional leadership.
He emphasised that strong collaboration between elected leaders and traditional authorities was essential for service delivery. "It is important to work with our traditional leaders to bring services to our people. Politicians and councillors are the catalysts for service delivery, but we need traditional leaders, who are custodians of the land, to make progress. Without cooperation, it is the ordinary citizens who suffer," said Matibe.
He added that the meeting was not merely a symbolic gesture, but a practical step towards working together more effectively. "We acknowledge that some things were not done correctly in the past. We need your help to do things differently and in the right way. Our offices are always open, and we welcome a team from this house to work directly with the municipality."
Senior traditional leader Vho Thovhele Gole Mphaphuli welcomed the initiative, saying it helped build a platform for discussing service-delivery challenges. "I'm happy that politicians are taking us seriously. A large portion of land in this municipality is under traditional leadership, so it is essential that we are consulted on development. No reasonable leader will reject development, but we must not be undermined in the process," he said.