The Makhado Morals movement was officially launched last Saturday at the local show grounds by the provincial MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture, Mr Joe Maswanganyi.

When addressing politicians, religious and traditional leaders and other community stakeholders, Maswangayi said that the official launch of the Makhado Morals movement is like breathing new life into the people of Limpopo Province. Maswanganyi said that when Africans are not accountable to other people, the problem is that certain individuals are used to complaining about everything without seeking a solution. He said that while immorality exists within the communities, it is the responsibility of everyone to fight it until it is isolated in the community. According to Maswanganyi, South Africans must not be apologetic; instead, they must live in an African way. “Young people must start to respect elderly people. As Africans, we must be proud of ourselves, our culture and our traditions,” he said. The MEC further added that the provincial government will completely support Makhado Morals in its efforts to restore the lost morals.

Chief Peter Kutama stressed the fact that immorality is the enemy of traditional leaders since people have moved away from good morals. He said that, as some people are at certain stages living like animals, it was crucial to establish an institution like Makhado Morals which will reeducate people about vhuthu (caring) and respect.

The Speaker of the Provincial Legislature, Dr Tshenuwani Farisani, said that for the community to win its battle against negative behaviour, they must refrain from regarding teachers and traditional leaders as the responsible individuals for morality within the society. Khosi-khulu vho-Toni Mphephu Ramabulana said that Makhado Morals will play a significant role in assisting traditional leaders in restoring good character within the community.

The president of the South African council of traditional healers, Mr Mbulaheni Neluvhola, told the guests that as traditional healers they will continue condemning cannibalism and ritual murder.

According to the coordinator of Makhado Morals, MPL Maxwell Nemadzivhanani, it was his view that traditional healers will play a central role in crushing the negative belief that sleeping young children will cure people from the HI-virus. Makhado Morals is a registered institution and academy to train social and community members on all aspects of moral regeneration. Its programmes are designed to offer multi-faceted programmes to combat and confront moral regeneration and decay whenever and wherever it occurs, according to Nemadzivhanani.