Kgafela will not return soon, commission says
Lerato Maleke | Wednesday November 19, 2014 16:27
“Kgosi a re o le tlhoafaletse,” announced Malope to ululations. He however said that Kgafela informed him that he would take sometime in South Africa as he is still fixing a number of things related to the tribe’s assets.
“Kgosi Kgafela a re fa a emelela a ya Aferika Borwa o le laetse mme o tlaa tsaya dingwaganyana go boela gae,” announced Malope as the gathered crowd exclaimed “Aooo!” Some Bakgatla told Malope that they have turned into orphans.
The Bangwaketse Kgosi said that the commission met Kgafela and everything went smoothly. He said that the commission would abide by Kgafela’s advice. He stated that Kgafela as the KgosiKgolo is the mastermind of everything and has control over the Bakgatla bogosi.
Malope informed the meeting that it is the commission’s wish to act according to what Kgafela told them and what the tribe wants. He said that as paramount chief of Bangwaketse, he supports Kgafela and that Bakgatla should not think otherwise.
“All your concerns have been noted and the commission will take all of these into consideration. Yes I have been appointed by government on this challenging and difficult task but I support Kgosi Kgafela and it is my will that the commission acts according to how he advised including the tribe,” explained Malope to ululations.
He said that the commission met Kgafela’s brothers Mmusi and Bakgatle, his uncles, Bakgatla elders, the clergy, and the dikgosana of the main five wards in Mochudi (Mabodisa, Manamakgote, Morema Kgosing and Tshukudu).
However, Malope did not reveal what was discussed in the meetings though the people interjected and asked him to give details.
“That was too brief. We want Kgosi Malope to tell us what he discussed with Kgabo and the rest that he met. Who are the elders that he is talking about because we are becoming suspicious as the Bakgatla tribe,” said a man at the meeting.
The meeting nearly degenerated into chaos as scores of Bakgatla made it clear to Malope that they want answers to their petition sent to President Ian Kgama five months ago. They said their feelings concerning the bogosi impasse and how it can be resolved are explained in the petition. “We are not in a position to explain what we want as a tribe concerning the bogosi impasse. All is said in the petition and we want answers. All the people who have petitioned government in the past have been answered, then what is wrong with Bakgatla?,” asked one tribesmen.
Bakgatla told Malope that they want the reinstatement of their Kgafela and his deputy, Bana Sekai. They demanded that charges against Kgafela be dropped and that he should be allowed to move freely between Botswana and South Africa.