Hhoyi inkosi gives community feedback during cultural celebrations
Multitudes attended the annual Ummemo at the Odiweni Royal Residence in Hhoyi on Saturday to interact with the local inkhosi, Sandile Ngomane.
HHOYI – The ummemo cultural celebration on Saturday showcased the variety of cultures in Nkomazi, their history, heritage and traditions through colourful traditional attire and dances. It was also a chance for the inkosi to interact with the community and report back on the year’s achievements.
This is the first cultural gathering of the sort since the current Hhoyi inkosi, Sandile Ngomane, was elected chairman of the Mpumalanga House of Traditional Leaders.
It was attended by amakhosi from Mpumalanga and afar, the deputy minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), Obed Bapela, the minister of home affairs in Swaziland, Princess Tsandzile Dlamini and Nkomazi Local Municipality Mayor, Cllr Thulisile Khoza.
The mayor appreciated the event which celebrated and raised awareness about the various cultures and stated that as local government they were committed to working with the community.
Ngomane encouraged the community to embrace their culture and teach their children to follow the old African ways.
READ: Respect for culture and traditions helps Mpatha community grow
He also stated that they are in the process of building working relationships and cooperation between government and amakhosi.
“We are slowly getting there. We are still saying for us to work together to avoid land invasion, we need the land to be transferred to traditional leaders. You can’t control land invasion or anything else if you don’t have ownership. We still see police questioning themselves when it comes to helping amakhosi to remove people who invade land because they don’t know who owns it. We all know that this land can be controlled well.
“Regarding protests, we are trying to tell people not to engage in dangerous protests and start burning things.
“We need to work together and talk one language with the ward councilors and municipalities so that we can help the community behave the right way,” the Hhoyi inkhosi concluded.
The deputy minister of Cogta emphasised that African cultures and languages need to be protected and nurtured.
“The campaign of amakhosi must be to restore Ubuntu, dignity, African manners and respect,” Bapela said.
