Alex Matlala and Chester Makana

Alex Matlala and Chester Makana

Limpopo Premier Sello Moloto yesterday thanked recalled president Thabo Mbeki for the role he played during his time in office.

He said the country had achieved a lot under Mbeki's leadership and the recent agreement in Zimbabwe on power sharing is an achievement the country should be proud of.

"South Africans and Africans will forever remain indebted to Mbeki's leadership in the renaissance our continent is undergoing," Moloto said.

Moloto said this at a Heritage Day celebration in Musina, where the national heritage council (NHC) committee unveiled an Ubuntu monument of the six Limpopo kings who fought against colonialism.

The monument was unveiled in honour of Kings Nghunghunyani, Makgoba, Mokopane, Malebogo, Makhado, Sekhukhune - and also of Fidel Castro.

According to the NHC, the six kings contributed substantially to the heritage of Limpopo as they dedicated their fight with no ulterior motives or intention to gain wealth.

Moloto also warned that Heritage Day should not only be relevant to historians, archaeologists and anthropologists.

He said "to do that will be denying the youth of the country their past and their present".

Sonwabile Mancotywa of the NHC said the council committee decided to honour the kings with the memorial for their contribution to the liberation of their people.

Some of the icons who have already received the award are former president Nelson Mandela and his Zambian counterpart Kenneth Kaunda.