Govt bans Sekai
Lerato Maleke | Wednesday April 23, 2014 11:38
Signed by the minister, Peter Siele, Statutory Instrument No. 36 of 2016 of April 11, 2014 reads: “Bana Sekai is hereby prohibited from purporting to exercise the functions of Kgosi of the Bakgatla tribe,” adding that, “no person shall treat him as Kgosi of Bakgatla tribe”.
The document states that this is in exercise of the powers conferred on the minister by section 26 (1) of the Bogosi Act.
Furthermore, it is expected that the notice will open a can of worms as Bakgatla loyalists argued that theirs is not a chief elected by government but a chief ordained by birth.
The same happened when the then Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Lebonaamang Mokalake derecognised the Kgafela in 2012 where his followers still recognise him as their Paramount Chief.
In past Kgotla meetings held in Mochudi, Linchwe’s loyalists have made it clear that government does not elect Bakgatla chiefs and that only Kgafela chooses a deputy chief.
Linchwe has also stated in several Kgotla meetings that he is going to be the acting chief until Kgafela returns. Linchwe could not be reached for comment, as his mobile was not available.