Balobedu Celebrates the Queenship of VII Rain Queen

By: Emmaculate Cindi

Hundreds of people gathered at Mokwakwaila Stadium in Balobedu on the 7^th April 2018, to witness the historic moment of celebrating and recognizing the VII Rain Queen of the Balobedu.

The rain Queen is believed to have powers to control the clouds and make the rain fall to combat drought.

The 12 year old Queen Masalanabo Modjadji will take over from his uncle Bakhoma Mpapatla Modjadji who was appointed regent to the minor after the death of her mother in 2005.

In 2015, the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs officially informed the Modjadji Senior Traditional Leadership about the report and recommendations of the Commission of Traditional Leadership Dispute and Claims, that; their traditional leadership was found to be meeting certain higher requirements than of other senior traditional leadership positions in the country to recognize them as a Kingdom.

This meant that, in terms of the Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Act of 2003; the president had to sign and recognize the Queenship of the Balobedu after it was stripped off by the apartheid government in 1972.

The Queen will be formally crowned when she turns the age of 18 and resume her responsibility immediately after she has graduated according to Balobedu custom.

When he delivered his keynote address, President Cyril Ramaphosa told the crowd that this is a historical moment in South Africa.

“This is the official recognition of the Balobedu Kingdom and will help restore the dignity and pride of the Balobedu nation. This affirms crucial leadership, gender equality and leadership role of women”. said President Cyril Ramaphosa

According to African Customary System Succession, women are not allowed to perform political rites in honour of the ancestors as according to belief, these rituals can be performed only by male members of the male line of descent.

The Balobedu Kingship is one of the few tribes that challenge the African Customary System by having a woman leading them even though she is not allowed to marry formally so that her children will indeed belong to her line of descent and will be able to succeed her.

The Queen currently lives with her guardians Mathole Motshekga and his wife in Johannesburg; Gauteng Province but will relocate to her ancestral village of Modjadjiskloof outside Polokwane as soon as she resumes her responsibility as the “Rain Queen” at the age of 18