LIMPOPO – Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba has established a special task team to address concerns raised by Giyani traditional leaders during a recent protest at the Office of the Premier, where they complained about being marginalised by the government.
Among the key demands raised during the protest were calls for equal treatment and access to the same benefits enjoyed by other officially recognised traditional leaders. These include government-provided vehicles, monthly stipends, mobile phones, and fully equipped offices, which are commonly known among traditional leaders as “tools of trade.”
On Tuesday, a special task team from the Office of the Premier met individually with all concerned traditional leaders at Vahlave Guest House. Each group of traditional leaders was allowed to explain the history of their clan to the task team. The information gathered during the event is expected to be presented to the Premier to assist her in making an informed decision regarding the demands raised during the protest.
The first group to be heard was the Maswanganyi royal family, which is currently in dispute with Hosi Nhlaniki. Hosi Nhlaniki is allegedly refusing to recognise Hosi Maswanganyi as a senior traditional leader, and claims that Maswanganyi village falls under his authority and, therefore, views Hosi Maswanganyi as his headman rather than a senior traditional leader.
Speaking after the event, Sam Maswanganyi, the spokesperson for the Maswanganyi chieftaincy, explained that they shared the history of their chieftaincy and its origins with the task team.
“We have been independent since 1910 and were only placed under Nhlaniki in 1957 by the then Bantu government department, so there is no way Nhlaniki can claim to rule over us,” he said.
Maswanganyi insisted that they were not asking for much, but to be recognised by the government. “We are not asking for luxuries; we are asking to be recognised and respected like others. We also have communities to lead, yet we’re expected to do so without any support or resources.”
When asked about this, the spokesperson for the Office of the Premier, Ndavhe Ramakuela, confirmed the development, stating that the meeting was conducted by a task team from the Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA), with support from the Office of the Premier.
“This follows several matters that have been brought to the provincial government’s attention concerning disputes over traditional leadership in Mopani and other districts. The sitting is intended to understand the nature of these challenges by engaging directly with traditional leaders or their councils,” he explained.
“The engagement has been ongoing for the past three days. Afterwards, a full report will be submitted to the executive council, which will then determine the appropriate structure needed to expedite the resolution of some of these disputes, ideally without resorting to the courts,” he said.
When asked whether the premier has already established a commission to deal with traditional leadership disputes, as she had promised on several platforms, Ramakuela responded that once such a commission is established, it will be communicated publicly so that everyone is informed.
“If and when a commission or structure to address the matter is established, it will be communicated. However, there is a process that allows the premier to look into long-outstanding disputes in consultation with the Limpopo House of Traditional and Khoisan Leadership (LHTKL), particularly those that the LHTKL has been unable to resolve. One such matter is currently under consideration by this special committee,” he said.
Meanwhile, as the task team’s work continues, many traditional leaders and community members in Giyani are hopeful that it will bring much-needed clarity, fairness, and recognition to those who have long felt excluded from the official structures of traditional governance.
It is also expected to unlock development in communities such as Maswanganyi, which has long been hindered by Hosi Nhlaniki’s claim that the village falls under his traditional authority.
“The government wanted to install taps in our households here, but the project was blocked due to the infighting between Hosi Maswanganyi and Hosi Nhlaniki. If this doesn’t end, it means we will always lag in terms of service delivery and development,” said Alina Mabunda, a resident of Maswanganyi village, where development is being blocked by Hosi Nhlaniki.
