Traditional Leaders in the Vhembe district in Limpopo have held an urgent meeting to discuss various issues, including the non-representation of Venda traditional leaders in the two highest positions within the Limpopo House of Traditional Leaders.
Traditional Leaders in the province elected new leadership on Monday in Thohoyandou.
The chiefs also want a regent for the Ramabulana kingship to be appointed urgently.
The meeting convened by the senior tradition leaders in Vhembe, follows the elections of the leaders of the Limpopo House of Traditional Leaders on Monday.
The traditional leaders say though they welcome the election Chief Pheni Ngovhe as the chairperson, they’re unhappy about the election of his deputy, Chief Boleu Rammupudu.
The Vhavenda chiefs are aggrieved by lack of representation in the provincial executive committee.
Elections were presided by Traditional Affairs MEC Basikopo Makamu.
Chief Ratshibvumo Rambuda says they want a rotational system to ensure that all ethnic groups are represented, especially in the top two positions. “When it comes to house of traditional leaders it was started to accommodate all the ethnic groups – we are talking of the Venda , Tsonga and the Pedi the main purpose of traditional leaders was to represent all ethnic groups. When you find that it is only one ethnic group that is in the top position then we start to have a problem.”
The leaders have also called for the vacuum of the regent in the kingdom to be filled, saying it is the sole responsibility of the Ramabulana Royal family to communicate that message with the provincial government. “We don’t even know who was submitted to the premier all we wanted to find out was that the premier has appointed whoever they submitted so even the name that we mentioned we are hearing it for the fist time. So what we are here for was to hear from the family if the name they submitted has been appointed.”
The Vhavenda traditional leaders say they plan to engage with lawmakers to address the non-representation of their ethnic group in the provincial house of traditional leaders.
