The Tshivhase dynasty, once the chief contender for the Vhavenda throne, is in the news once again. The once closely knit family is now showing signs of cracks.

In the centre of the division are the present incumbent and senior traditional leader, Mailausumbwa Kennedy Tshivhase, and the queen mother, Madala Virginia Tshivhase. The two are accused by the royal family of taking unilateral decisions without first consulting the royal family.

In a memo addressed to Queen Mother Virginia Tshivhase and Mailausumbwa Kennedy Tshivhase, the royal family says it is shocked by developments in the royal family, where decisions are taken without the knowledge of the family elders. Representing the royal family, Lesley Tshivhase says they have noted as a family that the two have usurped authority and are acting outside their powers.

He says they have embarked on a mission to reorganise traditional and administrative systems and structures within the Tshivhase traditional authority in a questionable manner which is also destabilising the community. According to him (Lesley), the two had at first sought approval from the royal family and when they could not get the nod, they decided to dissolve the legitimate royal family council and replaced it with an illegitimate structure.

“They subsequently embarked on disregarding and defying the Tshivhase royal family. During these acts of defiance, Tshivhase directly or indirectly acted and continued to act in stark contrast to the Tshivhase royal family and its traditions and customs. He overtly displayed despotic tendencies by going on and acting in contempt of court and with total disregard to government circulars, policies, procedures and directives,” he says.

Lesley Tshivhase says the legitimate royal family council was replaced by an ad hoc committee, handpicked by Kennedy Tshivhase, of cronies, junior family members and non-royal people.

He contends that, as its first task, the committee replaced Mr ME Tshivhase as deputy senior traditional leader by appointing Queen mother Virginia Madala Tshivhase (Vhakoma), who is not of the Tshivhase royal blood. “One can see that something is wrong here. How can the Vhakoma be a deputy senior traditional leader, when she is not a descendent of any of the Tshivhase royal family tree? Such a nomination and appointment is against the Tshivhase royal family tradition and customs,” he said.

He says a letter to the premier, which recommended the recognition of the queen mother as deputy senior traditional leader, was fraudulent as it was authored after the “dissolution” of the legitimate royal family council. “The nomination, appointment and communicating of the appointment to the premier was in fact done unilaterally and without consultation with the royal family by Kennedy Tshivhase,” says Lesley Tshivhase.

He feels that it is worrying that Kennedy continues to act as chairperson of the royal family council, despite the fact that he holds another position at the legislature. According to him, a trend has developed in which Kennedy Tshivhase goes about installing traditional leaders, thereby intending to subjugate recognised headmen and prefering those who have paid or are willing to pay amounts of money and cattle.

He says although the Tshivhase royal family and the Provincial House of Traditional Leaders advised Kennedy against his unacceptable behaviour, he continued to act against their advice and thus rendered himself a tyrant.

In light of all the developments, the Tshivhase royal family has embarked on an intensive investigation into the roles of Kennedy Tshivhase and his mother, Vhakoma Virginia Tshivhase, and all who are involved in the reorganization of traditional leadership structures.

In a signed memo, signed by traditional leaders under the Tshivhase Dynasty, the royal family has also suspended the queen mother, Virginia, and Kennedy with immediate effect from their positions as deputy and senior traditional leaders, pending the finalization of the investigation they launched. Failure to comply with the suspension orders will result in drastic steps being taken against them.

Copies of the memo have been sent to Government.

Many traditional leaders in the Tshivhase area speak in low tones about the recent installations of chiefs in their areas. In some areas, the installations were boycotted and were met with hostility from the community.

Premier Cassel Mathale recently spoke out against the installations, saying it would cause confusion in the community.

Despite all the protests from different quarters, Mailausumbwa Kennedy Tshivhase vowed that he would continue installing chiefs as doing so falls "in the parameters of the law:. Attempts to draw comments from Mailausumbwa Kennedy Tshivhase drew a blank as his phone just rang and went unanswered.

Before going to press, Limpopo Mirror contacted the spokesperson for the royal family, Thovhele Luvhaivhai Tshivhase, about the issue. He said he was not surprised as those who had signed the memo were the same people who were against the ascendency of Mailausumbwa Kennedy Tshivhase as the senior traditional leader. "They tried way back in 1986 but failed. We are not surprised, and they are confused as they do not even know royal protocol. We do not solve our issues in the papers. If they have issues, they know that they should approach the highest decision-making body, the royal council. They should know the distinction between the royal family and the royal council," he said.