OVERVIEW GEOGRAPHY The Vhavenda people are located on the North and West of Makhado in the Limpopo province of South Africa. The region they inhabit borders Zimbabwe and it is where the Shashe and Vhembe rivers meet. The word Vhavenda and Venda are used interchangeably when referring to the Vhavenda people, however the word Vhavenda better describes the people, whilst Venda refers more to the language. POLITICAL SITUATION The Vhavenda are one of many tribal groups within South Africa, and despite their language being recognised as one of the eleven official languages of South Africa, their main aim is to establish their traditional leaders as the local authorities of their territory with legitimate jurisdiction. To date their chiefs and leaders do have influence amongst their people, but since their re-integration into South Africa, and loss of homeland status in 1994, they are now governed by the State law of South African government. The division of South Africa into nine provinces in 1994 saw the Vhavenda incorporated into what was first known as the Northern Transvaal, then later the Northern Province, and today is known as the Limpopo Province. The National Party of Venda from the Vhavenda homeland population was the only party made legal by the apartheid government in1986, but was suspended in 1990 when negotiations began between the ANC and the National Party to end apartheid. The Bantu Homelands Constitution Act of 1971 gave the South African president power to create constitutions and legislative assemblies for all homelands (Bantustans). Upon the homeland being accorded a legislature council, executive council, and had undergone an election they could be regarded as self-governing. The ruling body elected could then collect taxes, pass laws, and moderate sectors of education, health and transportation, however all laws required approval from the South African government. When Vhavenda was granted self- governing status in 1973, the National Party of Venda was later approved as the governing body of their homeland. During the period of nominal independence, power in Venda rested in the hands of the Venda National Party. Patrick Mphephu, who was president of Venda from 1979 to 1987, and Frank Ravele, who was president from 1988 to 1990, represented the Venda National Party. In 1990, however, the small Vhavenda army, led by Gabriel Ramushwana, overthrew the Vhavenda government and announced its intention to reintegrate the Vhavenda into South Africa. The last Vhavenda Chairman to have had influence in the political arena was Tshamano Gerso Ramabulana in 1994 as the Chairman of the Council of National Unity.
Posted on: Sun, 05 Oct 2014 03:44:48 +0000
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