Hlanganani
| Hlanganani | |
|---|---|
  Hlanganani Hlanganani shown within South Africa
| |
| Coordinates: 23°11′42″S 30°14′10″E / 23.195°S 30.236°ECoordinates: 23°11′42″S 30°14′10″E / 23.195°S 30.236°E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Limpopo |
| District | Vhembe |
| Municipality | Makhado |
| Area[1] | |
| • Total | 9.07 km2 (3.50 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
| • Total | 7,816 |
| • Density | 860/km2 (2,200/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011)[1] | |
| • Black African | 99.8% |
| • Coloured | 0.1% |
| First languages (2011)[1] | |
| • Tsonga | 81.4% |
| • Venda | 16.0% |
| • English | 1.1% |
| • Other | 1.5% |
| PO box | 3244 |
Hlanganani is an amalgamation of large various villages which is situated in the north western portion of the former Tsonga homeland of Gazankulu, South Africa. Hlanganani is situated alongside the R578 road (South Africa) to Giyani and Elim.
The following places are named after Hlanganani; The Hlanganani Regional Court in Waterval township next to Elim Hospital, build in 1983 by the Gazankulu homeland. The Hlanganani Cost Centre at Bungeni and Nkuzana villages (the Hlanganani Cost Centre houses the Department of Water Affairs and the Department of Public Works, before 1994, it was known as Hlanganani Regional Office Department of Works), the Hlanganani Police Station at Tiyani (Magoro), The Elim-Hlanganani old age home in Waterval township next to Elim Hospital, Hlanganani District Pension Office at Bungeni Village, The Hlanganani Taxi Association and the Hlanganani Community Radio.
History
Hlanganani means Come together in Xitsonga and was meant to be a home to the Tsonga speakers during Apartheid South Africa. The idea behind Hlanganani was to unite both the Tsonga and Venda speakers who were separated by the Apartheid ideology in 1948 and was used as a resistance against Apartheid rule.
Before the introduction of Apartheid in 1948, both the Tsonga and the Venda people lived together peacefully, that peace was disturbed when Apartheid was introduced by the Nationalist Party after 1948, apartheid ideology meant that both the Venda and Tsonga speakers had to be permanently separated from each other.
When Homelands were legalised during the early 1970's, thousands of VhaVenda people were forcefully removed from Hlanganani villages and were dumped at so-called "Venda areas", while thousands of Tsonga people were also forcefully removed from so-called "Venda areas" and were dumped at Hlanganani villages. One such group to be dumped at Hlanganani villages were the Vukeyas, who were dumped at Mbhokota village and Shirley Village, just outside Elim Hospital, previously the Vukeyas used to stay next to Vleifontein, which was later classified a Venda area.
Another group were removed from so-called "White areas", one such group was the "Mahlahluvani Community" and were dumped at Nwaxinyamani, the other group of Venda speakers who were removed from a "White area", not far from Mahlahluvani community, were dumped at Mashau village, north of Bungeni village.
The Shimange community, which also used to live adjacent Vleifontein, were also forcefully removed and dumped at Shirley Village and Waterval township, which was declared a Tsonga area in terms of the Bantu authorities Act, 1951.
The removal of VhaVenda people from Hlanganani area were also carried out, by the South African police and the South African Army, VhaVenda people were also forcefully removed from villages such as Mbhokota, Shirley, Lemana, Nhjakanhjaka, Chavani, Nwaxinyamani and Tiyani or Magoro, Magoro was a popular Venda settlement at the bank of the Middle Letaba Dam, the Magoro community was forcefully removed from Magoro village during the 1960's because that area was declared a Tsonga area in terms of the Apartheid planning, the uprooted VhaVenda were dumped at so-called "Venda areas", such as Tshino.
Despite the forced removal, some VhaVenda people, especially the ones staying at Bungeni village, managed to avoid being forcefully removed to Venda areas. Same applied to the Tsonga people, some Tsonga people managed to avoid being forcefully removed from Venda areas, example are the Tsonga people staying at Mashamba village, the Tsonga at Mashamba village were not removed and stayed there until the end of Apartheid. The Venda Tsonga ratio at Mashamba village is 57% Venda and 39% Tsonga, the remaining percent being other language groups.
Villages of Hlanganani
Hlanganani is made up of the following villages, Bungeni, Chavani, Nwaxinyamani, Bokisi, Mbhokota, Riverplaats, Shirley, Waterval, Nhjakanhjaka, Elim, Lemana, Valdezia and Mambedi, Wayeni, Mahatlani, Nkuzana, Majosi, Kurhuleni, Madonsi, Makhasa, Nwa-Matatana (Caledon), Ntshuxi, Tiyani (Magoro), Ribungwani, Olifantshoek, Rivala, Blinkwater and Rotterdam. After the 1994 General election, Hlanganani was shifted to Makhado Local Municipality and now form part of the Vhembe District Municipality. According to the 2011 census, the largest concetration of Tsonga people in the Hlanganani area are: Elim, 16 000 people (Elim include Nhjakanhjaka, Magangeni, Lemana, Waterval and Shirley), Valdezia 7 600 people, Mbhokota 7000 people, Nwaxinyamani 1500 people, Chavani 6500 people, Riverplaats 1300 people and Bungeni 10 000 people and they form roughly 50% of the population of Hlanganani.
Hlanganani today
Today, Hlanganani is the centre of the 'Rainbow nation', it is a proud home of both VhaVenda and the Tsonga people, the cultural and language diversity that was once a feature at Hlanganani area before the introduction of Apartheid is now back, both VhaVenda and the Tsonga people are embracing each other. Throughout Hlanganani, TshiVenda and Xitsonga are widely used in both Government and business transctions, the ideals of a democratic South Africa is a reality in the Hlanganani area because two languages and their cultures have now Come together, hence the name Hlanganani.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Main Place Hlanganani". Census 2011.
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