‘I arrived a Jola but leave a Hlabirwa’ — Mbalula as ANC woos Bapedi nation

The ANC secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, hit the campaign trail this week, travelling to the Bapedi Nation in Limpopo as the ANC and other parties seek endorsement from traditional leaders ahead of the critical local government elections.

Mbalula and other ANC leaders have been on a charm offensive with SA’s royal houses and churches since the party launched its manifesto in August, as it tries to drum up traditional support.

Mbalula, national chair Gwede Mantashe and president Cyril Ramaphosa have been criss-crossing the country meeting with traditional and church leaders. Mantashe has centred most of his campaign in the Eastern Cape while Ramaphosa has mostly been campaigning in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

Mbalula has placed his focus squarely on Limpopo and received a glowing welcome this week from Her Majesty Queen Thulare of the Bapedi nation. The Bapedi nation has authority over more than 5-million people, which is about 10% of the country’s population.

“I am not walking around as a normal person; I come from royalty.” — Fikile Mbalula

During his courtesy visit this week, Mbalula, accompanied by ANCL Youth League president Collen Malatji and provincial secretary Reuben Madadzhe, gifted Queen Leganabatho II Thulare five live cows, as he had promised during her birthday celebration just over a month ago.

Mbalula went on a charm offensive, telling Queen Thulare that he considered the Bapedi Royal House as the home of the ANC, which, since its inception in 1912, has always been an organisation of royal families.

“We thank you for welcoming us to deliver gifts from the ANC. I am here as a Jola [Mbalula clan name] but I am leaving as a Hlabirwa [clan name linked to Bapedi royalty],” said Mbalula to loud cheers and ululations.

“I come from royalty myself; our royal house is the Amampondomise. In that royal household, we Jolas represent the Amampondomise. I am not walking around as a normal person; I come from royalty.”

Mbalula said that the ANC is an organisation of God and the ancestors, emphasising that this explains the showers that blessed his visit.

Queen Thulare said she was excited to receive a courtesy visit from a high-ranking ANC leader.

“Have you ever thought that one day we would receive here at home a secretary-general? Today we are overjoyed,” she said.

“You know God does miracles because the person who is here is not just a normal person, and God blessed us with the rain that has been falling since yesterday, and we wondered if he would be able to arrive, and he did.”

Queen Thulare gifted Mbalula with a traditional regalia of leopard skin accorded to a warrior in recognition of honour, courage and distinguished service.

According to Bapedi nation prince Mampuru Sekwati, the regalia bestowed is traditionally worn by the senior regiments of the Bapedi people, symbolising valour, dignity and standing within the nation.

Prince Sekwati said the royal family was happy that Mbalula honoured his promise to present cattle to the queen as a birthday gift.

This, he said, was particularly important in maintaining a relationship with traditional leaders in the country.

Mbalula’s visit is also seen as a way for the ANC to regain the trust of King Misuzulu Zulu ka Zwelithini of the Zulu nation, who enjoys close ties with the Bapedi nation.

His next visit, according to those in the Bapedi royal house, was likely going to be to the Zulu nation. This is believed to already be in motion.

The two royal houses are working towards signing a memorandum of understanding that covers, among other things, mineral resources in areas covered by both the Zulu and Bapedi nations, as well as their land.

In the draft memorandum of understanding (MOU) that Sowetan’s sister publication TimesLive has seen, the two royal households have agreed not to compromise their position on how minerals and land in their areas are controlled.

The Zulu kingdom is rich in gold, while the Bapedi kingdom is rich in chrome and platinum, and both control vast amounts of land.

In the looming signing of the MOU, expected later this month, the two kingdoms are agreeing to tighten controls on their minerals and land, ensuring black people play a central role in mining activities, and taking a non-negotiable stance on beneficiation.