Chief Tshitaudze has called for stronger efforts to preserve cultural heritage, protect the environment and address social problems including child marriages, drug abuse, school dropouts and stock theft in Beitbridge.
He said cultural preservation should go beyond festivals and include the protection of indigenous knowledge, traditional arts and the natural environment on which rural communities depend.
Chief Tshitaudze was speaking on Sunday at the three-day Tshitaudze Heritage Festival at the Tshitaudze Cultural Village Centre in Beitbridge.
He said the festival was established in response to declining interest in cultural heritage among young people, which he attributed to urbanisation, globalisation and changing attitudes towards traditional culture.
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“The Tshiṱaudze Heritage Festival was born out of a pain we all saw. Our rich heritage was under threat from urbanisation, from globalisation, and from our own young people losing interest in who they are,” Chief Tshitaudze said.
He said Beitbridge had previously lacked a regular platform where artists, poets and fashion designers from rural communities could showcase their work, receive mentorship and access markets.
“Beitbridge had no regular platform for our artists, our poets, our fashion designers from the villages to showcase their talent, to get mentorship, to access markets. Our women and youth had the talent but lacked the stage. So we said, let us build our own stage. We established Tshiṱaudze Culture Village in Mpande not as a place for one event, but as a living museum, a place where schools, communities, and elders meet,” he said.
Chief Tshitaudze said the festival was intended to promote traditional arts, storytelling and indigenous knowledge while creating skills and economic opportunities for young people and communities.
“The goal of this festival is simple, to preserve and promote our cultural heritage through performing arts, fashion, storytelling, and indigenous knowledge, while empowering our artists, youth, and communities with skills and economic opportunities,” he said.
He said cultural centres should operate throughout the year rather than becoming active only when major events were held.
“A culture centre should not be opened only when the Vice President visits. It must be a referral centre. It must be a library for our heritage. It must have activities throughout the year, where a child can come to learn TshiVenda, where a woman can come to learn pottery, where a young man can learn traditional building. It must be alive every day,” Tshitaudze said.
He said such centres could also help promote cultural tourism and create opportunities for local communities.
“This is how we create local tourism driven by culture. Tourists do not only come for big events. They come because they know that every day in Tshiṱaudze, there is something authentic to see, to eat, to learn,” he said.
Chief Tshitaudze said Beitbridge should seek to build an identity beyond its reputation as a border town dominated by trucks and cross-border transport.
“We want to position Beitbridge as a driver of cultural tourism from the grassroots level. Beitbridge is known as a border town of trucks. We must now make it known as a destination of culture. A gateway that also welcomes you to experience who we are,” he said.
Call to protect environment
Chief Tshitaudze also called on traditional leaders to work with local authorities and law enforcement agencies to stop the cutting down of trees by firewood syndicates.
He warned that the destruction of trees threatened livestock, wildlife and communities already facing the effects of drought and climate change.
“I have made a clarion call to my Village Heads on many occasions, we must join forces to stop the rampant cutting down of trees by firewood syndicates in our villages. These trees are not just firewood. They are our ecosystem. They are pastures for our livestock. They are home for Mashonza, our Mopane worms. They protect us from climate change and drought that have already killed hundreds of cattle in this district,” he said.
He expressed concern that trees were being cut down while village heads watched, and called for cooperation between the Beitbridge Rural District Council, Municipality of Beitbridge, Forestry Commission and police.
“I am worried that this cutting is happening under the watch of village heads. People come from town, cut fresh trees, and we watch. This must stop. I have pleaded with Beitbridge RDC and the Municipality of Beitbridge, the Forestry Commission, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), to let us work together. Where a culprit is caught cutting fresh trees, let them pay heavy fines. We must protect our environment to secure our future,” Chief Tshitaudze said.
He also called for greater efforts to combat stock theft, saying livestock was central to both the livelihoods and cultural heritage of communities in the district.
“We are livestock farmers. Stock theft is stealing our wealth and our heritage. Let us work with the ZRP Anti-Stock Theft Unit. Report criminals. Let us revive our traditional policing systems and secure our grazing lands,” he said.
Call to protect children
Chief Tshitaudze also called for stronger action against child marriages, sexual abuse and gender-based violence.
He urged village heads, police and government departments to work together to protect children and ensure perpetrators were held accountable.
“On Child Marriages, Sexual Abuse and Gender-Based Violence, this must come to an end. We cannot lead the nation in child marriages and teenage pregnancies. Statistics show Matabeleland South is leading in this bad practice, with Beitbridge as an epicentre. We are destroying the future of our children. I urge village heads, the police, and all arms of Government to enforce the law. If you see abuse, report to traditional leaders or ZRP. Perpetrators, your days are numbered. Let us also end the culture of marrying young children and protect our girls,” he said.
He also urged young people to uphold cultural values and avoid drug and substance abuse, alcohol misuse and risky sexual behaviour.
“On risky behaviour, drugs and school dropouts to our youth, culture is your anchor. When you are grounded in ubuntu, uthonifha and discipline, you will not fall into drugs, alcohol, and risky sexual behaviour. I am deeply worried about drug and substance abuse,” he said.
Chief Tshitaudze called on parents and teachers to help keep children in school, while encouraging communities to use cultural activities and economic opportunities to give young people a reason to remain in their communities.
“Let us all say no to dangerous drugs. To parents and teachers, let us keep our children in school. Every dropout is a loss to our heritage. Let us counsel our children, guide them, and create income opportunities through culture so they see a future at home,” he said.
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