A Development Project: Culture for Jobs and Income

The local indigenous Shangaan communities of the Timbavati region have preserved ancient story-telling traditions that hold the White Lion sacred as a tribal totem animal and symbol of ancestral presence on earth.

We celebrated World Heritage weekend in traditional Shangaan style at the Mafunyani Village with Hosi Axon Khosa as our generous host. We were joined by Maruleng Mayor, Mr M Mafogo and his family; Mr Masilo Ramajela from the Department of Manpower and his family; the Head of Sunninghill based SARS Legal Division, Mr Lindelani Segogo and his family and Ms Leseho Sello from the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, who was joined by her daughter and a friend. Our guests arrived at the White Lion Reintroduction reserve the day prior (Saturday 22 September) and spent the latter part of the afternoon with our monitoring team tracking the reintroduced White Lions in their endemic habitat.