Although Maandagshoek is formally governed by a district municipality, it is informally governed by traditional chieftainship authorities who consider the community's land to be held in collective 'trust'. According to a number of residents the indigenous culture of the Bapedi is fast disappearing. Before 1994, a resident explains: "[we] were ploughing and doing things according to tradition of the people of Bapedi" and after 1994 "… we lost our culture because of the new government." A female resident also finds that gender issues come into play with being a female Bapedi chief and that it is complicated being a woman leader. The people, she says, can't be led by a woman. She also claims that there are two parties in the royal house – the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (CONTRALESA) and the Sediba sa bogoshi. She believes that the South African government respects the former and not the latter, as CONTRALESA gets government support in the form of office buildings and cars, whereas "…us the Sediba sa bogoshi we don't get the support." Furthermore, the local municipality does not even seem to be aware of who the Chiefs of Maandagshoek are. However, she does believe that most people in general respect traditional authority. She does not get a salary, but the community members largely grant their support and assistance in times of need, something, she feels, the government fails to do continuously. Mining in Maandagshoek has also undoubtedly added to the destruction of the cultural well-being of this poor, rural community.