By Ziyah News Reporter
After a 15-year wait, the Siyoka community in Beitbridge Rural District Council (RDC) under Chief Tshitaudze on Friday welcomed the official installation of Pilate Muleya as substantive Headman Siyoka.
Muleya takes over from his late father, Headman Likavha, whose passing 15 years ago left the position vacant.
Headman Siyoka’s jurisdiction covers Ward 11 and part of Ward 12 in Beitbridge District and falls under the Tshitaudze Chieftainship, alongside neighboring headmen Mazibeli, Mabidi and Mahopolo.
Speaking during the ceremony, Chief Tshitaudze said the appointment of Headman Siyoka brought relief and renewed hope to the community following years without a substantive traditional leader.
“As you may remember ladies and gentlemen, Likavha passed away 15 years ago and since then there was no substantive headman, hence this installation is a joyous and welcome development to the community of Bgemula and Beitbridge at large,” said Chief Tshitaudze.
He described the occasion as historic, saying the Siyoka headmanship is one of the oldest in the district, dating back to the 1940s.
Chief Tshitaudze welcomed Vho Muleya into the traditional leadership structure and called on him to uphold cultural values while championing development within the community.
“Today we welcome the new incumbent, we say welcome to team Tshitaudze where we speak hard work as we preserve our culture and advocate for meaningful development for our area,” he said.
Chief Tshitaudze said the responsibilities of a headman, as outlined in the Constitution and the Traditional Leaders Act, include assisting in dispute resolution, supporting village governance, enforcing environmental conservation laws, and working closely with government agencies and development partners.
He urged Headman Siyoka to play an active role in addressing social challenges affecting communities, including child abuse, gender-based violence and child
marriages through the “Not in My Village” initiative.
Chief Tshitaudze further highlighted development opportunities and challenges in the area, noting that Siyoka has nine primary schools and two secondary schools, while access to healthcare remains a challenge due to long distances to clinics.
Congratulating Headman Muleya on his appointment, Chief Tshitaudze expressed hope that the new traditional leader would remain accessible to his people and strengthen relations between traditional leadership and the community.
“It is my hope and wish that Headman Siyoka will always make himself available, accessible and accommodative to his people,” he said.
The installation ends a prolonged leadership gap in the Siyoka area, with residents hopeful that the return of substantive traditional leadership will strengthen governance and drive community development.