42-year-old chief, Kgosi Sebela, told the Herald that he was over the moon that he was officially celebrated and announced to the public as chief after his family lost their chieftaincy in 1942. The chief was inaugurated on Friday, May 13.
“I have a lot of good memories of the day, but the one that I really treasure is when Mpapatla, the regent of the Modjadji Council, prayed with me before I was inaugurated. “He took both my hands and said let’s prayed together, that spoke volumes to me.
“It showed me that although I am of royal descent, I must always depend on someone higher than myself, who is God,” Kgoshi Sebela explained.

The MEC of Coghsta, Basikopo Makamu, handed the chief a certificate acknowledging him as the leader of the Sebela people.Three villages, Hweetsi, Molaneng and Moname, now resides under him.
The family lost their chieftaincy after Chief Masikane I (great grandfather to the newly inaugurated Chief Sebela), died in 1941 and the family could not reach a decision on his successor.
In 1942 their status was reduced from chieftaincy to headmanship by Kgosikgadi Male who was assigned by a commissioner at the time to address the family squabbles.

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Chief Clifford Sebela is the son of Masikane Sebela III and Melita Sebela and he took over as the headman after his father died in 2008 after succumbing to ailing health.
After the death of his father, himself and his uncle, Masilo Sebela, approached the Ralushayi Commission to lodge an application for the restoration of their chieftaincy. However due to the commission having many cases to attend to, they were not able to assist them.
Their luck was restored when the former president of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, launched the Kgatla Commission, which attended to their case in 2014 and in 2017 their chieftancy was restored.

In 2018 the royal family appointed him as their official leader and in August 2019, Limpopo premier, Stanley Mathabatha, handed him the chief’s certificate.
He said that he is humble by the support from Coghsta, the Greater Tzaneen Municipality, Mopani District Municipality and other royal houses for their support. Many dignitaries from all over the Mopani district attended the event.
“These organisations made sure that the day was a success, they planned everything in a matter of nine days.

“I also want to thank my community for being helpful on the day with catering and so forth,” he said.
He further stated that he promises to lead his people with truth and honour and his focus will be restoring the agricultural richness of the land. They are producing sugarcane, mangoes and avocados. He said that he hopes to engage with stakeholders who are willing to assist with restoring the economy of his community.
He concluded by acknowledging his wife, Dipuo and his three children for their support.