A host of notable speakers has been lined up to go down memory lane and remember the life and times of the late Vhavenda leader, Patrick Mphephu.

The Azwi Development Agency (ADA), which is the brainchild of its managing director, Mr Jackson Mafunzwaini, says it has decided to give praise where praise is due and to honour the former leader for what he did during his time. Mafunzwaini said the late Mphephu had done much for the people of the former Venda and South Africa as a whole, but people seemed to have forgotten about him.

“As a development agency, we could not just sit down and pretend he has done nothing for this community; his works can be seen everywhere in Venda. This is a way of celebrating his life and honouring him,” he said.

He said Mphephu fulfilled his roles in governance, government administration and traditional leadership in a dignified way. “This is the opportune time for people to talk about his life, his work and his legacy and we have invited the who’s who in traditional leadership circles,” he said.

ADA has organised the Mphephu Memorial Lecture and lined up speakers to talk about the dead leader. The lecture is to be hosted at the Khoroni Hotel on November 28. The speakers, who are predominantly traditional leaders, include King Kgakgudi Kenneth Sekhukhune, King Enoch Makhosonke II Mabena, Bayethe Eric Mpisane Nxumalo, Thovhele Khosi Vho Calvin Aifheli Nelwamondo, Thovhele Vhafuwi Vho Andries Mavhungu Madzivhandila and Thovhele Khosikhulu Toni Peter Mphephu Ramabulana.

The late Khosikhulu Vho PR Mphephu was born at Dzanani in 1925. He was the son of Thovhele Vho George Mbulaheni Ramabulana-Mphephu. He started his schooling at Gadabi Primary School, where he passed Std 6. He proceeded to the Vendaland Institute where he passed Form II and left school for the Johannesburg Country Club for employment. He worked there until he came back home.

His father, Vho Thovhele Mbulaheni Ramabulana, passed away in 1948. In 1950, Khosikhulu Vho PR Mphephu was installed as Khosi of the Mphephu tribe and was elected chairman of Mphephu Tribal Authority in 1951. In 1959 he was elected chairman of Ramabulana Regional Authority and in 1961 he was elected member of the advisory council for the University of the North. In 1966, he was elected chairman of the Thohoyandou Territorial Authority. His deputy was Chief Manthata from the Groot Spelonken.

In 1969, he was elected chief councilor of the Venda Government, and in 1973 he was elected Chief Minister with the portfolio of Finance and Authority Affairs. On August 22, 1979 he was installed Khosikhulu of the Venda nation and in 1979 he was elected the first State President of the then independent Venda. In 1983, he was declared Life President by the Venda National Assembly.

Plans are at an advanced stage to build a museum in his honour. The museum is to be built at the ministerial houses at Thohoyandou, where Mphephu stayed during his presidency.