Tempers flare as Siele vists Mochudi

Lerato Maleke | Monday October 6, 2014 06:59

 

The Commission was established to  consult with the tribe and obtain their views on the cause of the impasse and how it can be resolved, and make recoammendations to  government. 

Bakgatla made it clear to the minister at the packed Kgotla meeting that what they are interested in is the reinstatement of their KgosiKgolo Kgafela Kgafela II and his deputy Bana Sekai. They also requested a response to their petition written to Khama. Members of the tribe also said they had expected the minister to first call the delegation, which met Khama on September 24 and report back to them. They also noted that Khama had informed them that Siele would not be part of the proceedings. However, Siele assured the tribe that both parties, (Khama’s commission and Bakgatla delegation) will work together.

According to Bakgatla custom, when a cabinet minister addresses a Kgotla meeting, he must first meet with dikgosi and dikgosana in a closed door meeting who then welcome him/her and then escort him/her to the Kgotla. 

However, this did not apply during the visit by Siele and Khama’s commission. In turn, Kgafela’s uncles, the president of the Customary Court of Appeal Mothibe Linchwe, the chief’s representative Segale Linchwe, Mangana regiment and the rest of the tribe, ignored them. 

Bakgatla did not even bother to stand up, as is the norm when an elder enters the Kgotla nor sing the national anthem. They only responded to a prayer by Reverend Bokole. When Siele took to  the podium, they started murmuring and asked questions, “A reng tota? O tlile go batla eng? O biditswe ke mang? A kere re mmiditse gantsi o paletswe? Ga re mmatle a tsamaye, re kwaletse Khama”, they said. However, Siele who was on heat started fuming and informed the meeting that he had been sent by Khama to present a commission which would deal with the bogosi issue. The commission comprising of five members, include Kgosi Malope Gaseitsiwe of Bangwaketse as chairperson and Kgosi Phokontsi Seeletso of Mmadinare as deputy chairperson. Other members are deputy PS in the Local Government Ministry, Molefi Keaja, Tumelo Seboko, Director of Tribal Administration and Nametso Mothoka. The members are expected to take opinions from the tribe on what to do with their bogosi, and help chart a way forward.

Siele said all dikgosana should participate and that every Mokgatla should take the matter seriously, adding that everyone is fed up including government. “Le babaletswe mo ditilong tse le di ntseng tseo le puso e babaletswe,” he said. He called for calm while unravelling this matter. 

He also warned against factional lines, which he said, are mainly caused by politicians. Siele asserted that politics shouldn’t interfere in the bogosi issue. “Imagine a pastor entering a church building not putting on a collar shirt but instead a party shirt. How would a congregation respond?” he asked. 

He advised that Bakgatla take a few steps and asses their situation, “A go boelwe moragonyana ko ditsela di kgaoganeng gabedi teng, go baakangwe gone fa dikala tse pedi di kgaoganeng teng”, advised the minister. 

For his part Kgosi Segale said that he only learnt about the meeting the day before.  Seeing that the meeting was now out of order and that Bakgatla had started leaving including, MP Isaac Mabiletsa, Mothibe  saved the situation by calling upon Moagi Molebatsi, a member of the Bakgatla delegation that previously met the President, to update the tribe. 

However, Siele apologised and said he was not kicking out the Bakgatla delegation, which recently went to Khama and promised that it would work with that delegation if need be. Siele revealed that there has been a lot of confusion regarding bogosi as different Bakgatla groups approached him. He said that he did not concur with them as they failed to declare whether they had been sent by the tribe or the royal family. 

Bakgatla informed the minister that Kgafela’s uncles did not attend the meeting, in protest. The BCP council candidate for Malolwane Steven Makhura said they were not comfortable with Khama’s delegation, adding that it represents the interests of government. He said Kgosi Seeletso from Mmadinare should excuse himself from the commission because he is also conflicted. Makhura said that there is a bogosi crisis involving Kgosi Seeletso, “O ka rarabolola jang kgang ya bogosi a ntse a amega mo go ya gagwe kwa Mmadinare?” he asked. 

Some tribesmen felt that the commission delegated on the eve of elections is a desperate move to buy votes. “Rona re batla Kgosi ya rona e seng sepe gape,” they shouted in unison. Bakgatla will meet next week to further deliberate on Khama’s delegation.