Trouble in Moruleng: Kgafela suspends Kgosi Ramono
Innocent Selatlhwa | Monday February 26, 2024 06:00
This time around, the man who he worked with greatly to fight Nyalala and was eventually made the leader of Bakgatla-ba-Kgafela (BBK) in Moruleng, could be Kgafela's opponent.
On February 6, 2024, Kgafela slapped his uncle Kgosi Ramono Linchwe with suspension from the office of Kgosi pending an inquiry and possible formal hearing to determine his fitness to hold office, and to represent the best interest of the royal family and the BBK tribe. According to the suspension letter leaked to Mmegi, the charges anticipated to be laid against Ramono include that he has a track record of frustrating people he is supposed to work with in a way that is synthetical and unlawful, often with potential serious consequences.
“This became evident in your handling of your differences with Kgosana Sehume of Sefikile, and Kgosana Maname of Sandfontein. You cast a huge responsibility of leadership upon these young men, with attendant risks, but your frustrating them has impeded and compromised their positions,” reads the suspension letter.
Ramono is also accused of frustrating the chief of security, Thabo Khunou. “You recruited Thabo Khunou in 2013 to be our Chief of Security, knowing or trusting his professionalism. You have gone around to frustrate him for many years to the point of almost his departure (which you demanded) when you did not have an alternative security plan in place. We held several meetings with you and others during the late Mpule Pheto's role where I specifically advised you not to interfere with professional work by frustration or otherwise because there would be consequences as those that later came in 2020-2023.
By reason of this breach of security, our adversaries burnt our house and vehicle at Dithabeng House, George Stegman Hospital compound. All other security measures which Thabo Khunou could have provided (had you not frustrated him), fell down guard and we have suffered,” he stated. Kgafela further states that recently they held private meetings to resolve Ramono’s differences with Khunou where he advised him (Ramono) of: The need to obey the law of giving another man (who is your colleague) a fair hearing, before you make conclusive opinions about him; the need to obey Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (PAJA) in your dealing with tribes people; the need to respect professionalism; that you are wrong to frustrate the work of professionals (chief of security) because doing so defeats the best interest of the tribe and exposes people around you (including your master) to harm; the need to exercise your status and seniority as Kgosi to guide, promote peace, and a cordial relationship between colleagues; to lead as Kgosi and not get entangled in personality squabbles with your juniors; the need to respond promptly to Kgafela’s messages - especially in the face of some urgency; the need to respect Kgafela’s will; the need to carry out my instructions without delay or reservation. Kgafela further states that he had warned Ramono: “I also emphasise the importance to obey the law and to fully appreciate that if you don't, professionalism and our leadership ethics will force me to take professional action against you leading to a parting of ways. This I told you in no uncertain terms and specifically pleaded with you not to push that trajectory. You said you would heed my advice. However, our experiences post that meeting show prima facie that you have not heeded. You carry on with the same conduct we have warned you to desist even on simple mundane matters of communicating with your superior,” he states. Additionally, Kgafela said that there are indications that Ramono is frustrating the Agents' progress with unprofessional behaviour. This, he says, is aggravated by the fact that Ramono has signed the Agency agreement without anyone forcing him and without reservation. “Consequently we are both expected to comply with the law of agreements and display honour consistent with Royalty. To sign an agreement and later go around to frustrate it is something that is not acceptable to our Royalty,” he states.
He also slams Ramono for recent behaviour of failing to open an account, despite clear instructions. “Failure to explain privately to me why that has been the case, coupled with failure to respond to my Friday message; and now your short notice attempt to avoid attending the all important Tuesday meeting, coupled with other pieces of evidence corroborates (prima facie) the inference that you are yet again frustrating another professional (the agent) with subterfuge. In this context, you will be reminded and shown that the Agency agreement is in fact our current only hope to help the tribe to implement Baloyi Commission report.
The government is visibly refusing to implement the report by them frustrating empowerment of the Administrator,” he laments. Kgafela said the situation is now different in that we have an agent prepared to utilise his skills and resources to empower the administrator and BBK. He said the agents have already spent a lot of their own resources so far in furtherance of their agreement and have made significant progress that stands to be thwarted by Ramono’s apparent actions. “You and I are exposed to their damages so far and much more resulting from breach of contract. You must be alive to the reality that when anyone frustrates the agency agreement, they effectively frustrate implementation of the Baloyi Report. They frustrate our hard earned progress going through that Commission many years to get the results we now have.
They promote the continuing disempowerment of the tribe. That conduct (and the state of affairs it creates) cannot be tolerated under no circumstances. It is so serious as to attract a court martial in the military setting,” he stated. Kgafela states that the BBK Royal Family refuses to be held ransom that they should allow Ramono space to behave this objectionable way simply because they have come a long way with him and are expected to fear the fallout from this principled stand and action they are taking upon him. “In the various private meetings we have held, I have shown you the law in the Baloyi Report, which clearly says the Administrator possesses all the powers of the Traditional Council. It is he who must deal with the miners and potential investors by signing them authority to mine, in the form of leases and MoU's. It is not your turf to be authorising any miner by unilateral letter or lease to mine when he has not passed our vetting processes and authorised by the Administrator. You don't have that authority of law. Doing otherwise negates the very purpose of the Baloyi recommendations that separated the role of Kgosi from Administrator to avoid these very potential conflicts of interest that tainted the previous administration. I asked you to regularise these matters but you have failed in relation to at least one or more miners in a manner suggestive of a conflict of interest.
Kgafela further says Ramono’s disclosure to him of the private help he receives from a certain miner is not frank and prompt. “I learnt only recently in the meeting with such miner that he helps to pay your security persons. And this came upon my probe. You have not told me how and when the previous help prior thereto was terminated with the persons who have helped you. Yet we have learnt the hard way that security matters are so vital with fatal consequences when recklessly handled. Above all, your insolence (failure to carry out instructions and sulking upon admonishment) is the most problematic matter because it goes against all the laws, ethics, codes of conduct on corporate governance and leadership designed to protect the tribe,” he states. Contacted for comment, Kgafela’s spokesperson Letlotsa Phalafala confirmed the suspension.
“It is true that Kgosi Ramono has been suspended from his duties of bogosi by his master Kgosikgolo Kgafela II. Kgosikgolo delivered the notice of suspension last week Tuesday to dikgosana. He didn't get into details of the suspension but highlighted that Kgosi Ramono is still Kgosi and he is still in possession of the certificate of bogosi pending the final decision after Kgosi Ramono's hearing when he will be answering against the reasons for his suspension,” he said. On the reasons, Phalafala said: “It is premature to put allegations that were not formally said by Kgosikgolo. It is safe and enough to report only what was said by Kgosikgolo. The only reason that I can confirm is that of his conduct on handling some affairs were not satisfying and needed an intervention hence the suspension. Some allegations will only be a lie as they are unfounded. It is a suspension after all it is not like he is fired. It is just a self correction step which is done internally by bogosi for the benefit of morafe and bogosi. Kgosi Ramono will answer for himself at a disciplinary hearing and then the decision will be taken after that process on whether the reasons for his suspension are valid or not,” he said.