Minister seeks peace at Tumasera
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday August 29, 2025 06:00
His engagement followed concerns raised by a delegation from the affected communities, who expressed dissatisfaction with a decision made by a former Minister. According to the delegation, the ruling announced at a kgotla meeting on August 16, 2023, declared that the name “Tumasera” would no longer be used and that the two chiefs serving at the Tumasera Kgotla would be relocated.
Residents were reportedly stunned by the abrupt nature of the announcement and criticised the lack of transparency and consultation. They argued that the move undermined traditional leadership and sowed confusion within the communities. In response, Minister Motshegwa emphasised the need for an inclusive and transparent approach.
“I understand the divisions amongst residents over the status of the Tumasera Kgotla and the name itself. My problem is that they were individuals who had approached the Ministry claiming to speak on behalf of their villages without proper community backing,” he said.
He reiterated the government’s position of neutrality, stressing that decisions would be guided by legal advice and a thorough understanding of the historical and social context.
Presenting a way forward, the Minister outlined three potential solutions informed by community feedback. He continued: “The first is to recognise Tumasera as an independent village, following official processes for village recognition, including the formation of an umbrella village development committee. The second option is to designate Tumasera as an administrative centre that houses a central kgotla and ensures development projects are fairly distributed across the four villages while allowing each village to retain its historical and administrative identity.”
He said the third possibility is to recognise the four villages as fully standalone entities, which would require a detailed assessment and report by the Ministry. Motshegwa said that whatever decision is reached should not come as a surprise, as the community has been consulted and given space to voice their views.
He urged residents to reject division and hatred, and instead embrace unity and collective progress. He also emphasised the crucial role of Dikgosi in upholding values and social order, particularly in the face of increasing moral challenges in society.
The government, he affirmed, continues to value and support traditional leadership and will act in close consultation with it. In their responses, community members expressed frustration over what they described as a politically motivated merger that lacked input from traditional leaders. They emphasised that the original intention was to boost development by pooling populations, not to erase their distinct identities or cultures.
The residents condemned the unilateral discontinuation of the Tumasera name and the closure of the local kgotla, calling for the reopening of the Customary Court and the return of the two dikgosi who had been transferred to Mahalapye and Palapye.
They further pointed out that the conflict predates recent developments, having persisted for more than 40 years, despite all four villages being legally recognised. Many warned against relying solely on majority rule in making such sensitive decisions, arguing that it often leads to outcomes that ignore historical, cultural, and traditional realities. While acknowledging that expanding populations have brought the villages closer together physically, they insisted that this should not justify the erasure of their unique identities.