Sekhukhune tourism gets R5, 5-million boost

PROMOTION of cultural tourism in Greater Sekhukhune is set to move at a high speed following the injection of R5, 5 million toward its development during the 2008/09 financial year.

The district boasts of rich cultural history that has its roots embedded on the heroics of legendary Bapedi leader, King Sekhukhune I.

Hence, the district municipality is named after this great leader known for having steadfastly parried colonialists who were encroaching on his territory in the 1800s.

Greater Sekhukhune district executive mayor Cllr Namane Masemola said during the tabling of the 2008/09 budget speech that the money allocated for cultural tourism would be divided among a few projects that included the Tjate Heritage Site, Mampuru Day, King Nyabela and Saint Manche Masemola Site.

The district will, said Masemola, celebrate the 130th anniversary of King Sekhukhune I’s Wars of Resistance during the heritage month of September later this year under the theme – Celebrating Sekhukhune’s Living Heritage.

The celebration will take place at Tjate in Ntsoaneng village, Tubatse. An amount of R2-million has been allocated for the development of the Tjate Heritage Site.

“To this end, we are allocating a further R1, 5 million to showcase and promote the culture and heritage of the Kingdom and ensure support to the revival of this African Empire,” Masemola said.

Masemola said R1-million will go toward upgrading services at Kgolweni, where King Nyabela Day is celebrated, as well as the Mampuru Day.

A further R1-million will be injected toward upgrading the development of Saint Manche Masemola Site.

In August, the district and the Anglican Church will be commemorating the 80th anniversary of Saint Manche Masemola. Saint Masemola was killed by her parents for converting into Christianity.

This commemoration coincides with national events dedicated to Women’s Month.

The injection of this cash into cultural tourism comes a few months after the district and Limpopo Tourism and Parks Board launched the inaugural Regional Tourism Association (RTA).

This body’s main existence is aimed at unlocking the economic potential of Greater Sekhukhune to its optimal level.

The district has therefore allocated R200 000 for the promotion of tourism routes and R500 000 for the profiling and marketing of the district.

Masemola said the district had also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Freedom Park Trust in Pretoria to co-operate on areas of research, heritage and communication.

“We are going to embark on projects that will result in well-documented historical diversity of our communities, particularly the high profile events and also make sure that there is a chapter at the Freedom Park on Sekhukhune with the enlisting of agreed names on the Walls of Remembrance,” he said.

An amount of R500 000 has been allocated for this project.

The MOU saw the commemoration of the 1958 Sekhukhune Revolts at Freedom and Mohlaletsi last month.