Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube , Victoria Falls Reporter
THE San community in Tsholotsho now has a chief.
The community has chosen Mr Christopher Dube (57) as the inaugural chief and he will be known as Chief Goledema, taking the name of his grandfather, a respected rainmaker and senior traditionalist who reportedly resisted white rule in Tsholotsho during the colonial period.
The San social and political organisation had no succession structure and it was agreed that Mr Dube, by virtue of being a descendant of Goledema, becomes the first chief.
He was selected last week and is waiting for a date to be officially installed by Government.
He will be the seventh chief in Tsholotsho District which has Chiefs Mathuphula, Siphoso, Tategulu, Gampu, Magama (vacant) and Mahlathini (also vacant).
In an interview, Chief Goledema said the establishment of the chieftaincy in his area shows Government’s seriousness in developing the area.
“It is clear that Government heard our plea and saw us as citizens and we are glad because it shows we are not neglected. We were not marginalised as some people want to say. It’s only that we had not engaged Government about our needs and now we have engaged,” said the chief designate.
He said work is underway to demarcate areas that will fall under Chief Goledema’s jurisdiction.
There are close to 3 000 members of the San community and the chieftaincy will overlap to some non-San communities.
Parts of Chief Goledema area will stretch between Manzamnyama River in Ward 7 up to Hwange National Park, bordering with Chief Siphoso’s area, as well as parts of Ward 10 in Mtshina area, Gariya and areas around Butabubili, Phelela, Thembile, Mpilo and Phelandaba schools.
Chief Goledema said by having a chief, the community will be exposed to development opportunities.
“In terms of the economy, there is nothing much that we are doing and now that we have chieftaincy, we will be able to engage Government on possible opportunities,” he said.
The San community had no chieftaincy in its history and each family had a senior member who as a collective were community leaders.
“We had no chiefs but this structure of traditional leaders is not different from how we lived.
“Our ancestors were hunters and there was a leader in the hierarchy such that when hunters went out hunting, they wouldn’t stray into the next leader’s territory without formal engagement,” he said.
The Second Republic has transformed the lives of the San community with a majority of them now holders of National Identity documents after Government rolled out a registration exercise for them. The community is also advocating for hunting permits in their area.
Tsholotsho based Tsoro-o-tso San Development Trust has been lobbying for inclusion of the San community in development programmes.
Tsoro-o-tso San Development Trust director Mr Davy Ndlovu said the community chose the chief on its own with Government and the Trust only facilitating. He said the process of coming up with a leadership structure for the San community started in 2014.
“It was realised that there was a danger of the Tjwa language going extinct because then there were 14 elderly people remaining who could speak the proper language while younger generation was not interested in cultural issues. That is when the idea of having a leader started. Government listened and the issue has been discussed in Cabinet and recently delegations visited.
“This is the kind of development we have been advocating for over the years. Government has shown commitment,” he said.
Matabeleland North Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Richard Moyo said: “This is what we have been waiting for and agreed that there should be a local leader who will represent their concerns. Now we have to prepare for official installation.” — @ncubeleon
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