MODJADJI – The ANC's Women's League president, Mrs Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and former Mpumalanga Premier, Mr Mathews Phosa are expected to attend the installation to the throne of the new queen of Modjadji next week.

Spokesperson for the Modjadji Royal family Clement Molate Modjadji told Mirror that Madikizela-Mandela and Phosa will be among the 10 000 people who will witness the installation to the throne of Makomo Modjadji.

Modjadji said more than twenty-five cattle will be slaughtered to cater for people who will come to this occasion at the royal place in Ga-Modjadji on April 11 from 10h00.

Makomo is the granddaughter of the late Queen Modjadji who passed away at the Medi-Clinic in Polokwane, after a short-illness.

She succeeds her grandmother on-behalf of her late mother, Maria, who was the firstborn daughter of Modjadji. Maria also died some few years ago. According to the Balobedu traditional culture, whose traditional leadership position only rests within the women-led Modjadji royal family, Makomo will become Modjadji the 6th.

Makomo was born in the royal family of Ga-Modjadji twenty-five years ago. She grew up in the same family and went to school, until when she dropped out in grade 11 after the death of her grandmother.

Elders trained Makomo so that she could understand all the rituals to be performed in the family, including leading a group of elders who will be responsible for rainmaking.

The Mapeule, Mathekga, Masupha and Modjadji families perform the rainmaking rituals that are done at the start of every spring. Although people know this process as a rainmaking process, the family calls it the watering process for the benefit of their crops and livestock. Modjadji said Makomo would work like any other traditional leader, leading her community in a traditional way.

Many dignitaries from national, provincial and local level are expected to attend the function.

Traditional leaders from Giyani, Modjadji, local business people and traditional leaders from Venda, whom the Modjadji family originated from, are expected to attend.

He also added that media people would be welcome, as "we believe in media freedom."