“I was quoted out of context,” says Nemudzivhadi

Date: 07 December 2007 By: Linda van der Westhuizen

Historian Dr M Nemudzivhadi said that he was quoted out of context when he said that there was nothing wrong when the town was named after Louis Trichardt.

Dr Nemudzhivhadi was quoted on November 16 in the Zoutpansberger on page 11 Louis Trichardt and King Ramabulana gave each other a pact of friendship, says Botha.

"When the new town was named after Tregardt, there was nothing wrong as these namers were celebrating victory over the defeated Mphephu in 1898", was the quote from the author’s document, From Tshirululuni, (Ha-Makhado) Louis Tichardt to Makhado, compiled on September 18 this year.

Dr Nemudzhivhadi said on November 27 that the point that he wanted to get across was that people who come into power name places.

"Those with power impose their names on existing ones. But there is nothing wrong as they are responsible to nobody as everything including the inhabitants are their property … South Africa became Union of South Africa when power was in the hands of the British. When the Afrikaners were in power the name became the Republic of South Africa in 1961 … But as power is now in the hands of the Blacks, to whom everything black is good, a new name may be in the offing. One may not be surprised if it will be Azania …" writes Nemudzhivhadi in the said document.

Likewise, the author argued in the document that there wasn’t anything wrong that the town was named after Louis Trichardt by the victors of the time. The implication is that one should not be surprised if the people now in power rename the town.

On a number of occasions the Chairpersons Association, who won the appeal court case where the renaming of Louis Trichardt was set aside, said that naming processes should not be manipulated but should be according to national and international law and guidelines.

Mr Pieter F Botha, attorney and history lover, said that Louis Trichardt and Makhado’s father, Ramabulana, were bosom friends. Botha said that he would like to meet with Dr Nemudzhivhadi to share views and discuss that period of history.

The 76-year-old Dr Nemudzhivhadi said that his honours, masters and doctors degrees collectively cover the period from 1836 up to 1895. He is busy making arrangements to publish all the theses to be available to the public.

Dr Nemudzhivhadi compiled a document on November 10 this year where he argued that Louis Trichardt’s attachment to Rasithu (Ramabulana) against Ravhoya was "not for humanitarian purposes; he was doing that for his own security, as he had already clashed with the latter. This was nothing but the colonizer’s strategy of siding with the weak in order to break the power of the strong".

Dr Nemudzivhadi includes a map of Tshirululuni where Makhado was born. After accession to the throne, he moved to Luatame, leaving uncles and aunts there. It is here that the Louis Trichardt Hospital and golf course were later built. The municipality offices were built where the cattle enclosure (Danga la Phedza) was situated. Tshikota location is situated where Tshikota, his uncle and army commander, resided. Sinthumule Location is situated where the King’s third queen, Midana, Mphephu’s mother, was living. The industrial area was formerly used as zwikovha and mitanga for cultivation of maize and pumpkins. Chief Nthulane, the king’s uncle, was stationed at the show grounds and Eltivillas.

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Linda van der Westhuizen

Linda van der Westhuizen has been with Zoutnet since 2001. She has a heart for God, people and their stories. Linda believes that every person is unique and has a special story to tell. It follows logically that human interest stories is her speciality. Linda finds working with people and their leaders in the economic, educational, spiritual and political arena very rewarding. “I have a special interest in what God is doing in our town, province and nation and what He wants us to become,” says Linda.

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