In what could be seen as massive support for Thovhele Toni Mphephu, thousands of his subjects turned up at the Mphephu Secondary School to celebrate the ten years of his rule with him.

Mphephu drew more than 20 000 people to his birthday celebrations, and that included a high-powered ANC contingent, led by treasurer-general Matthews Phosa and a national government delegation led by the minister of Social Development, Dr Zola Skweyiya.

Skweyiya, who said he was not there to campaign for the ANC, also said the government was committed to respecting traditional leaders. He said the government was determined to change the lives of the poor for the better with the introduction of grants for any child from birth and provision of meals for all children at schools. He urged school managers to use the money for feeding the poor children in a responsible way and encouraged the school boards to administer the monies properly.

Speaking at the same function, Phosa said urged all people to respect each other. He called for the return of social values. He said it was disheartening to find that more and more people were shy to speak their mother tongue today. Phosa said traditional leadership had a very important role to play in the restoration of the culture and values that had been lost. He urged the community to go out in large numbers to their voting stations when the time comes.

The function also drew other renowned traditional leaders who also hope to be kings of their respective ethnic groups, such as Eric Mpisane Nxumalo, who is the descendant of King Nghunghunyane. Other traditional leaders who also delivered speeches included Queen Modjadji and King Mabena of the Ndebele tribe.

The king was showered with gifts by his subjects and they included calabashes, baskets, clay pots and locusts. The biggest present was brought by Phosa, who said a company in Gauteng had asked the king to identify ten schools in his area to be funded and empowered in the field of IT. A gala dinner was also held in the evening at the former Makhado College of Education, addressed by the Minister of Public Service, Rich Baloyi.

Not long ago, a high caliber provincial ANC delegation led by the new chairperson, Cassel Mathale, paid homage to Vho Thovhele Midiyavhathu Tshivhase in what was read by many as also luring all traditional leadership under the Tshivhase Royalty to the ANC.