Saai, NHTKL, and AfriForum partnership ensures reliable water supply to vegetable garden

SOUTH AFRICA – Saai, the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders (NHTKL), and AfriForum have joined forces with the office of Morena e Moholo Montoeli Mota to launch a solar-powered water system that now provides steady water to the Batlokoa Ba Mota Traditional Council offices and the local vegetable garden.

The project marks a major step for the community, offering both clean water and new income opportunities. The vegetable garden will supply fresh produce to the local feeding scheme, which has faced shortages in recent months.

It will also train residents in farming and provide a source of income. A new water tank has been installed to ensure that nearby households have easier access to water.

Morena e Moholo Montoeli Mota expressed deep gratitude for the project’s impact on his community. “Reliable supply of water to the offices of our Traditional Council, which plays such a pivotal role in the life of our community, will come a long way to restoring our dignity as a rural community. I am excited by the opportunity for positive impact created by the vegetable garden. My people and I are grateful to the partners for bringing hope and adding lasting value to our kingdom,” he said.

The initiative was first discussed during the inaugural Lenaka Memorial Lecture, held at Manthatisi Secondary School in Sedibeng, Phuthaditjhaba, at the end of 2024. The event focused on heritage, partnership, and practical action for development in traditional areas.

NHTKL Chairperson Kgosi Thabo Seatlholo said the lecture was designed to build cooperation among institutions and community leaders. “The annual Lenaka Lecture serves as a platform to celebrate our rich heritage while promoting inclusive socio-economic development within traditional communities. We follow an approach of strengthening partnerships, enhancing institutional capacity, and unlocking opportunities for sustainable growth. We are encouraged that this initiative led to the establishment of infrastructure and a project that has the potential to leave a lasting positive legacy,” he said.

Building sustainable communities

AfriForum, one of the main partners, described the collaboration as a step toward shared community development. “It is a great privilege for AfriForum to be a partner of the NHTKL in this initiative, that not only contributes towards socio-economic development but also the strengthening of cultural identity and the restoration of a healthy cultural self-image, as both these aspects are crucial for cultural communities to realise their full potential,” said Barend Uys, Head of Intercultural Relations and Cooperation at AfriForum.

He added that the partnership continues to grow stronger. “A network of cultural communities, built between grassroots cultural communities based on mutual recognition and respect, is growing stronger and is paving the way for a prosperous future for the children of all communities in the country,” he said.

Saai Board Chairman Dr Theo de Jager emphasized agriculture’s ability to create quick and lasting impact. “There is no sector of the economy that can create as many opportunities to generate wealth in such a short space of time as agriculture can. We urgently need more food to be produced in our country, and for that we need more farmers. We are grateful for this opportunity to empower community members in a deep rural, communal area to curb malnutrition and make a life through agriculture,” he said.

The partnership has already inspired similar efforts in neighboring communities. Organizers said they plan to expand water and food projects to other rural areas, creating a model for local development led by traditional leaders and supported by public-private partnerships.

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