The community of Mapapila’s love for Magezi Willy Chauke is huge.

Since he was ousted and replaced as headman by the 59-year-old Masenyane Wilson Mabasa in 2005, the community have paid R5 per household per month for his maintenance, and they have also refused to recognise his successor. Last Friday, the community  marched to Mavambe head kraal to demand that Chief Patrick Mavambe reinstate their popular leader.

Truckloads of community members were dropped a distance from the Mavambe head kraal, where they chanted slogans in favour of the leader of their heart and denounced Mabasa. Later, they presented a memorandum to Chief Mavambe.

A spokesperson for the community, Mr  Judas Hlungwani, said the first head of the community, Mbhanyele Chauke, died in 1964 and his eldest son was supposed to assume leadership, but he went to Muyeshe and stayed there. His younger brother then ruled until 1972 and the tribal house again went to Muyeshe to ask the senior house to provide a leader, but to no avail. In the absence of a leader, they looked to William and, since he was too young, the family approached an outsider, Mvangeli Wilson Makhubele,  who ruled until he handed over power to William.

William became the leader in 1993 and in 1993 he was registered and paid by the government. “When it was announced that traditional leaders were to be paid, Mabasa changed his mind and decided to come to the area and demand the leadership,” said Hlungwani.

“When Magezi was appointed, the community was consulted by the Mavambe Royal Council, but the other man was appointed clandestinely and he is not respecting the community and threatens some people with firearms during meetings,” he said.

According to Hlungwani, when Mabasa was appointed, Chauke was not notified, but found that he was not paid at the end of the month. The community have been contributing R5 per household for Chauke’s upkeep since 1993. On the other hand, Mabasa has just been reduced to a cheque collector.

In an interview with him recently, Mabasa confirmed that he was just getting paid and the community was behind Chauke.

During the official opening of an old age home by Limpopo’s First,  Lady Mokgadi Mathale last year, the community caused a stir when the presented Chauke with a watch for his dedication to the community. This was despite the fact that in the books of the government, he was replaced by Mabasa in 2005.

“We want the government to help us because the one they impose on us is threatening us,” says Dorah Kumbe, wife of the chairperson of Mapapila Development Forum Hasani Kumbe.

She says she received threatening calls that her husband would be shot dead, because of his involvement in community matters.