Ngoako Ramatlhodi appointed first Bapedi Nation prime minister

His extensive experience in politics and royal blood clinched the position

Former minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi has been named as the first ever Bapedi Nation prime minister.

Ramatlhodi will play a similar role to that of Thulasizwe Buthelezi for the Zulu Nation of being the mouthpiece of the Bapedi Nation.

According to the Bapedi Nation royal family member Mampuru Sekwati, what gave Ramatlhodi the edge was his extensive experience in government and that he is from the royal bloodline.

“Advocate Ramahlodi is Prince Semane of Bakwena. The appointment of Advocate Ngoako Abel Ramahlodi (Semane) followed a vigorous search process for an individual who can fit the role of a prime minister. The appointment is purely on merit,” said Sekwati.

Ramatlhodi has been in the forefront of politics in the country going as far back as 1994 when he was named as the first premier of Limpopo, a position he held for a decade.

He has also held other senior positions including that of minister of mineral resources, public service and administration as well as deputy minister of correctional services.

Ramatlhodi is one of the longest-serving ANC NEC members, having sat in the highest decision-making structure since 1991 until the 2022 Nasrec conference.

The 69-year-old's shift into traditional leadership has been viewed as a necessary intervention, as the Bapedi Nation focuses on beneficiation of the raw minerals found in abundance in and around Limpopo.

Ramatlhodi’s appointment is also intended to accentuate the Bapedi Nation’s fight for equal treatment among the different kingdoms.

The Zulu Nation receives about R70m a year from the South African government, while the Bapedi Nation only gets R12m.

“I think we must put it on record that we are very close with the Zulu Nation, but if you were to look at what the government does, there is a lot of difference in how the different kingdoms are treated; there is lack of cohesion from the government. Some are treated as kings while others are treated as paupers,” said Sekwati.

“It’s not the Zulu Nation problem but it’s the government problem; there is no standard procedure in terms of how they do things.”

Ramatlhodi appeared at the state capture inquiry, providing details of the Gupta family's operations. 

A former ally of Jacob Zuma, Ramatlhodi detailed how Duduzane Zuma tried to set up meetings with the Gupta family while he was minister of mineral resources.

After months of failing to arrange a meeting between Ramatlhodi and Ajay Gupta, Duduzane resorted to fabricating a story to try to get the former minister to the table, he told the commission.

He also claimed to have banned his department from attending events at the Gupta home.

TimesLIVE