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Chief Livhuwani Matsila (left) and MEC Seaparo Sekoati.

Community wants to remove Ramathithi

 

Business at Vuwani came to a standstill three weeks ago when members of the Masia Traditional Council, in solidarity with  community members, blocked the Vuwani road to hand over a memorandum demanding the removal of chief Matamela Nelson Ramathithi. The community members complained that Ramathithi had allegedly declared himself chief without the knowledge of Thovhele Nthumeni Masia.

More than 3 000 community members, led by Thovhele Vho-Nthumeni Masia and Chief Livhuwani Matsila, handed over a memorandum of grievances to the MEC for Economic Development Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Seaparo Sekoati. In the document they demand the removal of Matamela Nelson Ramathithi from the Schuinshoogte LT 29 farm at Ha-Masia, because of his insubordination and undermining of the authority of Masia.

The protestors further claimed that Ramathithi is illegally demarcating residential and business sites. They accused him of allocating sites to unsuspecting prospective applicants at a fee of R2 500 per residential site and more than R5 000 for business sites, without the necessary legal authority to do so. They said Coghsta should stop him from operating an illegal structure called the Vuu Traditional Council and Vuu Tribal Authority at the area of jurisdiction of the Masia traditional authority. 

“Ramathithi invaded our portion of land at Schuinshoogte LT 29 Ha-Masia on 13 June 2001. In 2004, he appointed himself as Senior Traditional Leader within our area of jurisdiction without the knowledge or authority of the Masia Royal Family and Masia Traditional Council," the concerned group states in the memorandum. It is further alleged that the Office of the Premier in Limpopo has never recognised Ramathithi as a senior traditional leader.

Limpopo Mirror managed to meet with Matamela Nelson Ramathithi about the matter, but he did not want to comment, stating that the matter was being handled by his legal representative.

News - Date: 20 November 2014

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Community members display placards during the march.

Community members of Masia show their support for the Masia Traditional Council during the march.

 

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