Xenophobia rising in Mochudi

If some Bakgatla tribesmen have their way, all non-Bakgatla working in 'enemy offices' such as the police would be kicked out of the Kgatleng capital of Mochudi. In a highly charged crisis meeting on Saturday to discuss the remand of their paramount chief Kgafela Kgafela, a number of speakers called for the removal of non-Bakgatla police personnel, and no one made any attempt to correct them. Not even members of the royal house who were present. The Bakgatla have said that their chief has been abducted after he was remanded in custody last week to await trial over the spate of floggings in Mochudi.

On Saturday as speaker after speaker discussed the need to march to either Parliament or the police station to protest Kgafela's fate, some made it clear that the tribe has to tell non-Bakgatla police working in Mochudi that they are not wanted in the village.