Community members of Gumbani village in the Malamulele area paid their last respects to their headman, Mr James Machebele Mbhazima, during a funeral that was held at the village´s cemetery over the weekend.

The late hosi-Mbhazima (68) died on Thursday, March 12, at Malamulele Hospital after a long illness. He was depicted by members of his community as a dedicated, charismatic and disciplined traditional leader.

James Mbhazima was the fourth child of the late Salani Chali and N’wa Xikhogo from the Chauke family. He was born at Gumbani Village in 1942.

One of the community members who spoke to Mirror after the funeral, Mr Moses Shibambu, said that it would be difficult to replace a person of Mbhazima´s calibre. “He was one of the most enthusiastic and dedicated traditional leaders the village ever had,” he said.

He added that the community of Gumbani would always remember him for the hard work and things that he had done for the poor people of Gumbani.

Mbhazima worked in Gauteng for many years before he could become a traditional leader. He returned in 1996 to assume his duties as a headman. He was officially inaugurated as headman of Gumbani Village in 2002.

He led the village under the chieftainship of the Mukhomi Traditional Authority. According to the chief of the Mukhomi area, hosi-Richard Mukhomi, it will be very difficult to replace Mbhazima, as he was one of his most disciplined and hard-working headmen in the area.

Bhazima is survived by 14 children, which includes Simon, Eric, Linah, Sea, and Alleta.