Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba has urged traditional leaders to become champions of economic development in their areas of jurisdiction, warning against the disposal of communal land and calling instead for it to be used to attract investment, agriculture and tourism.
Ramathuba was speaking at the inauguration of Thovhele Ranwedzi Madadzhe Tshikonelo Mphaphuli as the new senior traditional leader of the Tshikonelo clan, held on Saturday, 18 July, at Tshikonelo Primary School’s sports ground.
She said government recognised the indispensable role that traditional leaders continue to play in strengthening social cohesion, promoting peace and advancing development in rural communities.
The new Thovhele succeeds his late father, Thovhele Nngwedzeni Madadzhe Mphaphuli, who died in 2023. He was inaugurated by Thovhele Gole Mphaphuli in a ceremony attended by senior traditional leaders and hundreds of well-wishers.
The Madadzhe Tshikonelo Mphaphuli dynasty resolved the succession to the throne without court interdicts or bloodshed. Thovhele Gole Mphaphuli urged other Vhavenda clans to learn from this example, saying succession disputes had too often ended up in court and led to violence.
“We are worried about the many court cases and interdicts among our Vhavenda clans, when succession disputes reach ugly conclusions and later cause bloodshed. We want the new senior traditional leader here at HaTshikonelo to treat his community with respect and bring more development projects, such as farming, which is taken seriously by the community here,” said Thovhele Gole Mphaphuli.
Premier Ramathuba said the inauguration was also a celebration of the values underpinning traditional leadership.
“It is a celebration of our identity, our customs and the enduring institution of traditional leadership. It is a reminder that while generations may change, the values that bind us together — respect, unity, courage and service — remain constant,” she said.