Sekhukhune communities march for government offices relocation
LEBOWAKGOMO
Hundreds of community members from different villages of Sekhukhune District Municipality (SDM), leaded by Sekhukhune District Offices Relocation Movement (SDORM), have on Wednesday 18 June 2025 marched to the Limpopo Provincial Legislature in Lebowakgomo to deliver a memorandum, demanding the relocation of Sekhukhune government department offices from Lebowakgomo in Capricorn District to Jane Furse in Sekhukhune District.
They were calling for Limpopo Provincial Government to prioritize the relocation which they say they have been battling with for over fifteen years.
The issue of relocating the Sekhukhune District offices has been ongoing since 2007, with the community complaining about the difficulty in accessing government services due to the offices being located in Capricorn District.
Some of the affected institutions include the Department of Education, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, Department of Transport and Community Safety, Department of Safety and Security, and Department of Home Affairs.
Majority of Sekhukhune residents say currently, they travel approximately 150km to access government services at Lebowakgomo.
President Cyril Ramaphosa previously instructed that the district office be built in Sekhukhune without fail during a Presidential District Development Model (DDM) Imbizo held at Ga-Motodi Sports Complex in 2023.
According to Robert Kgoete, a community leader and SDORM secretary, the relocation would greatly benefit the local community by creating jobs, providing internship opportunities, and boosting local businesses and the economy.
“The community’s demand for the relocation of government offices is driven by the desire to have services closer to them, which would improve their access to essential services and stimulate economic growth in the area,” he said.
Kgoete indicated that the Bapedi Ba Mamone Tribal Council donated a portion of land at Velgelegen Farm 819ks to the Limpopo Provincial Government for the construction of government offices which should have commenced in 2018.
“Despite the land being approved by the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development on 16 April 2024, there has been no progress since the allocation,” he said.
Kgoete said the movement is pleased with the support of residents who came in number to join the protest, adding that SDORM has hopes that the relocation issue will be taken into consideration by the Limpopo Provincial Government.
“We are satisfied with the support we received from the community, and now it’s up to the government to respond to our demands,” Kgoete said.
The memorandum of demands was received by MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA), Basikopo Makamu, on behalf of Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba.
The Limpopo Provincial Government has been given 21 working days to respond to the memorandum.
At the time of gong to press, Limpopo Provincial Government Spokesperson, Ndavhe Ramaukela, could not respond to the publication’s enquiries.
