The main aim of the study was to investigate how the Vhavenḓa royal kingdom’s communicative functions and positions of royalty and settlement pattern were disempowered by the British colonists, the apartheid government, the Homeland system and the new democratic government which came into power in 1994. The arrival of the British colonists disempowered the Vhavenḓa Kingdom by reducing the title of the King to that of a mere chief. This was, among others, a leading cause for the fall and the end of the Vhavenḓa Kingdom. The Apartheid regime (1949-1994) also had a negative impact on the Vhavenda royal kingdom as the regime put a large number of people who were not of the royal families into chieftainship. This resulted in chieftaincy becoming an appointment rather than a birth right. The Homeland system, a creation of Apartheid, also caused confusion and disagreements among the Vhavenḓa. Some of those who were born of royal descent were removed from chieftainship positions and more educated Vhavenḓa citizens who were just mere commoners were put in those positions. The new democratic government (1994) tried to bring back the chieftaincy titles that were taken by former governments but this was complicated by the appointment of ward representatives, councilors and civic organisations. The democratic government split areas into wards, and, as a result, the system failed to work in unison with the Vhavenḓa Kingdom. Chiefs were reduced to ceremonial monarchs, and decision-making powers were the preserve of the politicians, and not the chiefs. This study utilized the theory of Ethnopragmatics. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed to collect data. Data were collected from the youth, royals, non-royal adults and chiefs by means of questionnaires and interviews. Data were then transcribed by the researcher and the coding system was used to analyse it. Coding methods used included open, axial and selective coding methods. Data were viii then presented, discussed and conclusions drawn. Results revealed that chiefs and their subjects have many concerns. Recommendations were also made to address the concerns raised by participants. / Anthropology and Archaeology

The main aim of the study was to investigate how the Vhavenḓa royal kingdom’s communicative functions and positions of royalty and settlement pattern were disempowered by the British colonists, the apartheid government, the Homeland system and the new democratic government which came into power in 1994. The arrival of the British colonists disempowered the Vhavenḓa Kingdom by reducing the title of the King to that of a mere chief. This was, among others, a leading cause for the fall and the end of the Vhavenḓa Kingdom. The Apartheid regime (1949-1994) also had a negative impact on the Vhavenda royal kingdom as the regime put a large number of people who were not of the royal families into chieftainship. This resulted in chieftaincy becoming an appointment rather than a birth right. The Homeland system, a creation of Apartheid, also caused confusion and disagreements among the Vhavenḓa. Some of those who were born of royal descent were removed from chieftainship positions and more educated Vhavenḓa citizens who were just mere commoners were put in those positions. The new democratic government (1994) tried to bring back the chieftaincy titles that were taken by former governments but this was complicated by the appointment of ward representatives, councilors and civic organisations. The democratic government split areas into wards, and, as a result, the system failed to work in unison with the Vhavenḓa Kingdom. Chiefs were reduced to ceremonial monarchs, and decision-making powers were the preserve of the politicians, and not the chiefs. This study utilized the theory of Ethnopragmatics. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed to collect data. Data were collected from the youth, royals, non-royal adults and chiefs by means of questionnaires and interviews. Data were then transcribed by the researcher and the coding system was used to analyse it. Coding methods used included open, axial and selective coding methods. Data were viii then presented, discussed and conclusions drawn. Results revealed that chiefs and their subjects have many concerns. Recommendations were also made to address the concerns raised by participants. / Anthropology and Archaeology