Taking the knee Muthambi-style
Former minister says a man bowing to her at a house handover ceremony was acceptable in Venda culture and didn’t mean what it’s purported to be on social media
Former communications minister Faith Muthambi says the man who was pictured kneeling before her during a handover of a house to receive cash did so because he is younger than her, and that’s how gratitude is shown as per culture.
Muthambi is the chairperson of the portfolio committee on cooperative governance and traditional affairs. She and 44year-old Colbert Tshifhango in the controversial picture belong to the same culture as Venda-speaking people.
The picture was taken on Friday in HaMpengu village, near Thohoyandou in Limpopo, during the handover of a house to the destitute Tshifhango. Muthambi, who is still in her 40s, accused those who berated her on social media for the pictures of “blowing things out of proportion because that was part of Tshivenda culture for showing gratitude”.
“It is our culture that when an older person gives something to a younger one they kneel down as sign of gratitude. The money in my hand was R1,000 in cash; it was handed to me by a local businessman who was pledging support to the beneficiary.”
Muthambi added that Tshifhangu was not worshipping her when he knelt down.
“It happened automatically that the man knelt down out of excitement and a sign of showing appreciation. In Tshivenda it goes without saying that younger people kneel down when receiving something and people should stop this smear campaign against me.”
Livhuwani Matsila, who also attended the handover, said kneeling down for elders among the Venda people is interpreted as a sign of respect, appreciation and gratitude.
Tshifhango’s house was built by the Captain SABC Livhu Foundation, a youth organisation founded by comedian Livhuwani Madadzhe for poverty alleviation and relief.
Madadzhe said Muthambi was not invited but upon arrival her presence was acknowledged as a former minister and later given a platform to cut the ribbon.
“Last month on Mandela Day we identified Tshifhango as one of the priority beneficiary out of five that we have visited. He was sleeping alone in an open building and we treated his situation as an emergency,” Madadzhe said.
The former minister admitted she gatecrashed the handover of the two-roomed house: “I stay 15km away from where the house was being handed over. When I saw the pictures on social media I decided to drive there. While I was on the way I called someone who was there to drop me the location.”
She said she attended the event to appreciate and support what the group of young people were doing to change the lives of vulnerable people.
“People are playing politics with those pictures and attention now has been taken away from the good work the foundation has done. I’m not going to stop supporting local people hence I’m taking the beneficiary to the Sassa offices to enquire about his social grant.”
Muthambi added she’ll be approaching the local municipality to help Tshifhango.
Madadzhe said they rebuilt Tshifhango’s dilapidated house and fitted new window frames, door, roofing and plastering – all to a tune of R14,000.