Speech by Her Majesty Queen Masalanabo Modjadji VII
UNISA Lekgotla on African Indigenous Law & Democracy
UNISA Senate Hall | 21 November 2025
“Thobela. Ke lotšhitše batho ka moka ba ba tlhakaneo mo naase. Ke lotša mo-President wa borena wa
bobedi wa naga ya heso ya Afrika Borwa, President Thabo Mbeki,
gammogo le batho ka moka ba ba šomago le yena, UNISA, mmogo le The Thabo Mbeki African
School of Public and International Affairs (TM-School).
Kere: Thobela, Pula! Pula! Pula!”
Programme Director, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for the honour of addressing
this dialogue. I extend my sincere gratitude to the Thabo Mbeki Foundation and The Thabo Mbeki African
School of Public and International Affairs (TM-School) for inviting the Balobedu Nation to take part in this
important national reflection.
For us, this is not merely an invitation — it is recognition. Recognition of our identity. Recognition of our
Queenship. Recognition of our ancestral heritage and our rightful place in shaping the future of Indigenous
Law and traditional governance in South Africa.
We are deeply grateful for the formal restoration of the Balobedu Queenship after many years of downgrade,
marginalisation, and displacement. This historic decision restored dignity to our people, affirmed justice, and
corrected a long-standing historical injustice. Recognition is not symbolic — it is a powerful message that
every nation, no matter how long it has been sidelined, deserves fairness and equality. We also extend
heartfelt gratitude to His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa for recognising me as the born heir of the
Balobedu Nation, in line with our customs, traditions, and hereditary lineage. His action reflects respect for
African Indigenous Law — not as a relic of the past, but as a living system that continues to shape millions
of lives in our democracy.
THE MOTHERHOOD OF LEADERSHIP: The Queenship as a Matriarchal Institution
The Balobedu Queenship is one of the oldest and most revered matriarchal institutions on the African
continent. For centuries, women have led the Balobedu Nation with authority, wisdom, diplomacy, and deep
spiritual responsibility.
Women have always been leaders in Africa — as custodians of land, healers, advisors, warriors, diplomats,
and protectors of community. This Queenship stands as evidence that female leadership is not new, not
modern, and not imposed. It is ancestral. It is African. It is part of who we are.
Today, as the world searches for ethical, compassionate, and inclusive leadership models, Africa must look
inward. The matriarchal leadership of Balobedu offers a governance tradition rooted in balance, justice,
nurturing, and community upliftment.
Given my age, the question of young leaders and intergenerational leadership is close to my heart. The older
generation provides historical context and unsurpassed wisdom. Young generation, ma-2000, brings
disruptive ideas, technological solutions and a focus on future-oriented leadership. We are living in the best
of times, as we navigate this intergenerational era. Empowering women is indeed not a favour. It is the
restoration of an ancient African truth —that nations prosper when women lead.
THE MATRIARCH WHO SHAPED ME
Born heirs carry lifelong responsibilities from a tender age. They face pressures, vulnerabilities, and
opposition that many do not see. Government must review whether legislation sufficiently protects their
dignity, wellbeing, and security. If the law is not enough — it must be strengthened.
In my own life, God placed a royal matriarch who protected me from infancy — my late great-aunt, Ms Julia
Mabale (née Mokoto). She took me into her arms when I was only six months old. She raised my mother.
She raised my uncle. And with the same unwavering love and strength, she raised me. She provided stability,
discipline, identity, and cultural grounding during the years I lived away from the Royal House, for reasons
known to our people and documented in our history.
She was a woman of profound wisdom, compassion, and resilience. She poured herself into me so that I
could one day stand where I stand today. Her legacy is one of the pillars that strengthen my steps as I carry
this great responsibility forward.
CUSTODIANS OF INDIGENOUS LAW IN A MODERN DEMOCRACY
The theme of today’s Lekgotla — “Revisiting the custodians of African Indigenous Law(s) after 31 years
of democracy” —is both timely and necessary. Indigenous Law is not outdated, It is not secondary and is
not symbolic. It is a living system that continues to guide millions of households in; family structure, land
allocation, dispute resolution, community governance, cultural identity and moral values. Sections 211 and
212 of the Constitution affirm the authority of traditional leadership and customary law. The Traditional and
Khoi-San Leadership Act strengthens these foundations. Customary succession is not determined by
popularity or competition. It is a sacred lineage rooted in ancestral order. Traditional leadership does not
exist outside democracy —it strengthens democracy by grounding leadership in identity, community, and
continuity.
THE CALL FOR KHELOBEDU LANGUAGE RECOGNITION
The Balobedu Nation humbly emphasises the importance of recognising Khelobedu as an official language.
Khelobedu is one of Africa’s ancient languages. It carries our oral traditions, our diplomacy, our history, our
praise poetry, our identity, and our worldview. We appreciate the work that has begun. But we respectfully request that the process be accelerated. Our children must grow up learning, dreaming, and expressing
themselves in the language of their ancestors. Recognising Khelobedu is not just linguistic —it is cultural
healing and national restoration.
RURAL DEVELOPMENT — A MATTER OF DIGNITY
A democracy that does not uplift its rural communities is incomplete.
Villages across South Africa — Bolobedu, Sekhukhune, Vhembe, parts of KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape,
the North West, and more — continue to face inequalities in water access, sanitation, infrastructure,
education, internet connectivity, economic opportunities, The dignity of a nation is not measured by its
skyscrapers. It is measured by the living conditions of its villages. Traditional Authorities do not only
preserve culture — they are governance structures rooted in the daily reality of communities.
Municipalities, ward councillors, and national departments must work hand-in-hand with Traditional Leaders
for development that is inclusive and sustainable.
SANITATION — A NATIONAL MORAL IMPERATIVE
We cannot forget, Michael Komape (2014), Omari Monono (2018), Unecebo Mboteni (2024), These were
children who died in pit toilets. Their names remind us that unsafe sanitation is a national crisis. Pit toilets
must be eradicated completely — not reduced, not upgraded — eradicated. Sanitation is not a privilege. It is
a non-negotiable human right.
WATER DIGNITY — A NATIONAL PRIORITY
Water is dignity. Water is hope. Water is life. Water is development. Yet many rural communities still
depend on, JoJo tanks, water trucks, seasonal rivers, unreliable boreholes. These temporary solutions would
never be accepted in urban areas. We must ask; Why must rural families accept what urban families never
would? Why must rural girls be denied sanitary dignity? This is not a resource issue. It is a priority issue.
Where water flows, development flows. Where water dries, hope dries.
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND SPORT
Sport is not entertainment. It is a tool for nation-building. It builds character, discipline, purpose, and hope.
Every rural school deserves a functional sports facility. Youth development must be a national priority — not
an afterthought.
RESPONSIBLE LIQUOR LICENSING
In many rural communities, liquor outlets multiply faster than youth centres, libraries, or sports fields. This
threatens family stability and youth wellbeing. Municipalities must; issue licences responsibly, enforce
distance from schools, consult Traditional Leaders and prioritise community safety and peace of mind over
profit.
EQUITABLE SUPPORT FOR TRADITIONAL INSTITUTIONS
If traditional leaders are expected to contribute meaningfully to development, then fairness and equity are
needed in how recognised Kingships and Queenships are supported nationally.
This is not a call for privilege. It is a call for capacity to serve.
