Chief Matsila and Zulu King Zwelithini share experiences

Chief Livhuwani Matsila of Matsila outside Vuwani, who recently received a rare invite from Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini to come and share his integrated community development experience with the king, said he was so humbled to meet the king and that he had learnt a lot from the monarch as well.

Matsila’s rural development and agriculture model, which has created many employment opportunities for his subjects in crop, game, chicken and livestock farming, tourism and the environment, has become a beacon of hope for many rural communities.

His projects under the Matsila Development Trust, which created more than 500 jobs for his subjects, have attracted the attention of many leaders and organizations, among them esteemed traditional leader Inkosi Nkosinathi Maphumulo of the Maphumulo clan in KwaZulu Natal.

Recently, Matsila was invited to address the South African parliament on environmental programmes focussing on the Matsila environmental project that employs more than 250 people.

As if that was not enough, the hardworking chief attracted the attention of one of the most influential and highest offices of traditional leadership in the country, King Goodwill Zwelithini, who specially invited him to Durban. The two met in Durban last week.

"I had the chance to give the king a detailed account of our farming scheme and our tourism project, which boasts a high standard of accommodation for tourists and which is well complemented by the Matsila Game Farm. The king was so impressed by our other business opportunities, such as the Matsila chicken and red-meat abattoir and butchery, which are nearly completed," he said.

Matsila and Zwelithini ended their meeting on a high note with a resolve that Chief Matsila would be invited for a site visit to rural and remote communities under the authority of the king with a view to developing and implementing community development projects.

It is envisaged that communities that are severely affected by poverty and underdevelopment will be prioritised for assistance by the Matsila Trust.

"The meeting was a unique opportunity and a great honour meeting the majestic leader of the Zulu Kingdom and nation. I express my greatest appreciation for the king's invitation and the invaluable guidance that the king provided to me as a relatively young leader," Matsila said.

Date:23 June 2018

By: Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

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