The community of Mulenzhe outside Thohoyandou stands to benefit immensely from an envisaged residential estate in the Nandoni area.

The Nandoni Residential Estate is an ambitious dream and vision by the senior traditional leader in the area, Thovhele Jeffrey Ramovha, and his community. The Mulenzhe Development Trust received the thumbs up from the Minister of Rural Development, Gugile Nkwinti, on Monday.

Nkwinti, who was in the company of Vhembe's executive mayor, Tshitereke Matibe, Thulamela mayor Grace Mahosi and his officials, visited the area to gather first-hand information after his office received a business plan from the community of Mulenzhe. The Mulenzhe delegation was led by Thovhele Ramovha and Chief Livhuwani Matsila, who is known for spearheading development in his community.

During the visit, the minister was shown the area around the dam and Thovhele Ramovha shared his dream with the minister.

Speaking after the tour of the village, Nkwinti said he was very impressed by what he had seen and said what he had seen and heard fitted in very well with rural economic development. “We are here at the invitation of Thovhele Ramovha to engage with me on the proposal he has for his community after he requested funding for his dream city in this rural setting. I now understand very clearly what their intentions are and I am very impressed. Officials recommended that I approved the proposal, but I wanted to understand it before signing. The next step will be to sit down and sign on the dotted line,” said Nkwinti.

Cllr Matibe also commended the community of Mulenzhe for having come up with such an ambitious plan of turning the area into a modern rural environment with prospects of job creation. “As government, we are very happy to have communities such as Mulenzhe, who have big dreams that would benefit the whole community. The envisaged development would be an answer to poverty and job creation which would benefit the whole community,” he said.

Thovhele Jeffrey Ramovha said he was very excited that their proposal had stolen the heart of the minister, who said he would give a donation to develop the area.

The Nandoni Residential Estate comprises 500 hectares of land donated to the Mulenzhe Development Trust by the community.

It will have around 2000 stands, a shopping centre, a private hospital, a private school and a day visitor’s centre.

A team of technical experts, led by Thovhele Ramovha, an experienced property developer, has been appointed.