By: Aphane Adina
The Modjadji Traditional Leaders Forum call for the Reversal of the President’s Decision on Modjadji Royal Succession
Laste week, members of the Balobedu community, alongside the Modjadji Traditional Leaders Forum, marched to the Union Buildings to express their concerns over the leadership of the Modjadji royal family.
The Modjadji Royal Council had appointed Bakhoma Mpapatla Modjadji as regent on behalf of Princess Masalanabo in 2006. However, due to the princess’s prolonged absence, the royal family proposed that Mpapatla Modjadji act as regent for Prince Lekukela Hex Modjadji, who would assume the kingship in her place. The council agreed, endorsing Mpapatla as the acting regent.
“The council took a resolution to apply for the restoration of our status, which was demoted in 1972 during the era of the two former Bantustans, Ntsanwisi and Phatudi,” reads a statement from the informational layouts distributed among the protesters. The demotion marked a significant setback for the Balobedu nation, whose royal authority and cultural significance had been undermined.
The main focus of the protest was the Balobedu people’s dissatisfaction with the president’s decision to crown Masalanabo as queen without consulting the royal council. Prince Lekukela was traditionally installed as king in October 2022 at the Khetlhakoni Royal Palace in Modjadjiskloof, Tzaneen They demanded that the government respect the customs, traditions, and cultural sovereignty of the Balobedu nation and refrain from interfering in royal succession matters.
Makoma Ramathoka, a member of the Modjadji Traditional Leaders Forum, emphasized the importance of tradition in royal succession, stating, “According to our tradition, only the royal family can decide who their next king or queen will be, and in this case, the royal family decided that the next person to the throne is King Lekukela Hex Modjadji. We, as traditional leaders, support their decision.”
The South African Communist Party (SACP) joined the protest after engaging with the royal council about the broader development of the community. The SACP distributed documentation outlining the history of the Balobedu nation to those attending the march. Tinyiko Ntini, a member of the SACP Central Committee, criticized the government for its handling of the matter and called on the president to respect the authority of the royal council and honour their decisions regarding succession.
In response, the presidency, through Mr. Mdau acknowledged the concerns raised by the Modjadji Traditional Leaders Forum and people.
