Bogosi dispute divides Thamaga
Innocent Selatlhwa | Tuesday March 5, 2024 13:02
Kgari said the meeting was prompted by an instruction from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to determine the rightful heir between Bone Gobuamang and Matshego Gobuamang, daughter and uncle of the late Kgosi Gobuamang Gobuamang.
Bakgatla ba ga Mmanaana attended in good numbers to express their views. Royal uncles have submitted Matshego’s name to the ministry, while Bone and her sisters Pinky and Tebogo believe the throne belongs to them. In a previous interview, the sisters explained their understanding of the customs and norms of bogosi, emphasising that, as the daughters of the late Kgosi, they had always known that one of them would take over the throne. The sisters said that they approached the current acting Kgosi Segale Gobuamang and Bernard Gobuamang at the appropriate moment.
They asserted that both fully endorsed their intentions without displaying signs of resistance or ill intentions. Gobuamang (Pinky) emphasised that during this conversation, she conveyed to the uncles that, as the eldest daughter and direct successor to the throne, she wouldn’t be assuming the role but rather nominated the second-born, Bone, to be Kgosi.
'My uncle Segale, who was our father’s assistant at the kgotla, was also in agreement with us and only requested that we wait until our mother completes her mourning period and the cleansing to be done first, though we did not understand why, since our mother was not part of bogosi, and rights of the next heir have always been performed even during the mourning period. We still agreed to wait,' Pinky said. Gobuamang added that after the mourning period, they lost their mother two months later, leading them to another retreat to mourn and heal.
During this time, the uncles called them and informed them about a meeting in November 2022 where they were told their uncle would be the one to take over the throne. 'In that initial meeting, Kgosi Kgabosetso Mosielele of Moshupa was leading, and to our surprise, we were informed that our uncle would be the one to take over the throne.
They just came to inform us, as it seemed that the decision was made in our absence,' she said.
Gobuamang noted that their being women was used against them to prevent their ascension to the throne. Tebogo, the youngest of the sisters, stated that acting Kgosi Segale in a meeting clearly said, 'Mosadi ga a kake a etelela morafe pele ka ga a na Mophato.' Supporters of the Gobuamang daughters argued that their father, draped with Leopard skin, signified he was the rightful Kgosi, and his children were rightful heirs. They asserted that those before Gobuamang (Pinky) held the fort for her as the rightful heir. Supporters of Matshego argued that Thamaga bogosi is not a birthright and that one must be chosen within the royal family based on capabilities. Some called for voting, while others rejected it, stating that the law should determine the rightful heir.