The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Coghsta), Lechesa Tsenoli, has urged traditional leaders to follow the examples of the Matsila community and initiate projects between themselves and create jobs.

Tsenoli accompanied traditional leaders to several projects on Saturday and told them that similar projects could be established in their areas. “Work well with communities and you can achieve this or more,” Tsenoli said when he talked to about 300 traditional leaders during a workshop of the Vhembe district municipality, aiming to discuss issues that pertain to rural development.

Among the Matsila development projects Tsenoli and the traditional leaders visited are a lodge, a chicken farm and a goat farm. After he had discussed the role of traditional leaders in social development, the leaders hailed Coghsta and the Vhembe district’s efforts to empower them. Tsenoli added that his visit was part of the 20 years of democracy celebrations and also to promote partnerships and cooperative governance.

The chairperson of the National Lotteries Board (NLB), Prof Alfred Nevhutanda, said the NLB was the first funder of the Matsila projects and he promised more funding. “We funded the lodge to the tune of R54 million and we later funded goat farming and chicken farming,” he added. According to him, the progress in the area invites more funding.

The chairman of the Vhembe House of Traditional Leaders, Chief Busa Nxumalo, said traditional leaders needed such workshops to be effectively able to develop their areas and expressed the hope for similar events.