The Chairperson’s Association (CA) this week again expressed their view with regard to government’s efforts to have the name of Louis Trichardt change, in light of the upcoming public consultation meetings on the matter. The consultation meetings for Louis Trichardt’s Ward 20 and 21 will take place on August 11 at the show grounds and Makhado Municipal civic centre at 14:00 respectively.

"The CA is of the view that there is no basis to change the name of Louis Trichardt to Makhado or any other name, as it will not be a correction because where Louis Trichardt is situated today, it was originally called Louis Trichardt. Louis Trichardt had never been called by any other name before. Makhado, according to history and the LED (local economic development) programme of the Municipality, stayed on top of the Soutpansberg and not geographically where Louis Trichardt is located currently. The National Geographical Names Council also confirmed in their guidelines that cultural heritage should rather be maintained and preserved than destroyed. Only where a name is insulting to any other cultural group, should the name be changed, otherwise cultural heritage should be preserved," said Mr André Naudé, chairman of the CA on Monday.

In defending their argument, the CA referred to the affidavit prepared by renowned South-African historian, Prof Louis Changuion, with regard to the history of Louis Trichardt. His affidavit was presented in the CA’s Supreme Court case and the Appèlate Court case of the name change and was not opposed by the Makhado Municipality, the State or the Minister of Arts and Culture. The following is a brief summary of Prof Changuion’s findings on the matter:

Historical background

Louis Trichardt was never involved in any wars or in any colonial activities as he was anti-imperialist and moved away from the Cape into the interior of South Africa in order to avoid colonialism. He lived 150 years before the era of apartheid. He was also a merchant and tried to reconcile Ramabulana and his brother Ramavhoya. There was a serious division between the followers of the sons of Mr Mpofu who died in 1829 and more particularly, between Ramabulana and Ramavhoya. The third brother was Madzie. After the stable period of the reign of Mr Mpofu, who died 1829, a war of succession followed between Ramabulana and Ramavhoya that lasted for eight years. The third brother, Madzie, did not take part in the competition for the throne and he probably supported Mr Ramabulana. It was during this time that the white people arrived. The Voortrekker, Louis Trichardt, became involved in this war of succession between Ramabulana and Ramavhoya. Louis Trichardt supported Ramabulana. Ramabulana promised the Voortrekkers land in compensation for their help in his fight against Ramavhoya. Mr Ramavhoya, with the support of their mother, rose up against his brother, Ramabulana, who subsequently fled away from Dzata.

Ramabulana lived in exile for more than a year. By then the Voortrekkers, under the leadership of Louis Trichardt, had arrived. Ramabulana helped Louis Trichardt to reach the Soutpansberg by informing the Basotho chiefs to the south that the Voortrekkers had to pass on their way north, to let them through because Ramabulana needed the help of the Voortrekkers.

Ramabulana promised land to Louis Trichardt as well as Hendrik Potgieter if they helped him to get back on the throne. Louis Trichardt then invited Ramavhoya to the Voortrekker camp. Louis Trichardt insisted that Ramavhoya come unarmed in order to reconcile the brothers and in order to assist Ramabulana to follow up on the throne. Ramabulana then came out of his hiding place and killed his brother. Then Ramabulana returned to his people and was reinstated as chief. He moved away from his main kraal, Dzata, in the Nzhelele valley and built a new stronghold for himself, known as Tshirululuni, below the cliffs of one of the highest peaks of the mountain, which was situated north of the place where, years later, the town Louis Trichardt was to be founded. This happened during ± 1837/38.

For the first time in the history of the VhaVenda, a dispute about chieftainship was settled through the white man’s intervention. Other names of Ramabulana were Munzhedzi, Rasithuu and Ravele. Ramabulana then got married to Limani, who was the wife of Ramavhoya, the younger brother of Ramabulana, who was killed. But since Ramavhoya was now dead, Ramabulana, according to VhaVenda custom (the Law of the Cattle), had to take her as his wife of the second house. Children born out of this relationship were however still regarded as that of the deceased brother, in this case Ramavhoya. Ramabulana’s youngest son born from Limani, was Makhado also known as Magato or Magadu. Therefore he was regarded as the son of Ramavhoya.

Therefore, if one looks at the above history, it is clear that Louis Trichardt was a great friend of Ramabulana, the biological father of Makhado and that Louis Trichardt was instrumental to Makhado’s becoming a chief later on in that he indirectly assisted that Ramavhoya was murdered by Ramabulana although he thought that he could reconcile them and did not expect Ramabulana to kill his own brother Ramavhoya. Makhado had never settled in the geographical area where Louis Trichardt is currently, but rather up in the mountain, about 18 kilometres from where the current Louis Trichardt is situated.

Conclusion

"If one looks at the National Geographical Names Council’s guidelines, where they insist that cultural heritage should rather be preserved, then it is clear that there is no justification for the name of Louis Trichardt to change to any other name unless the whole decision is based on vengeance. Vengeance will lead to the destruction of one of the colours of the rainbow which will then eventually destroy the rainbow as well as the rain symbolized by the rainbow. It is not in the interest of South Africa that any cultural group be marginalised and/or destroyed in that all cultural groups, like in the rainbow, are needed to build South Africa and to reconcile. This attempt to change the name is destroying reconciliation and therefore any possibility of a true rainbow nation," said Naudé. He added that the CA therefore appealed to all objective and rational people to oppose the basis of the name change.