How Nyalala and Kgafela lost

Zolani Kraai | Friday January 15, 2016 15:55

History indicates that Kgamanyane’s son, Ramono Kgamanyane Pilane, who is referred to as Ramono I was the first Kgosi of the tribe in Moruleng. That is why the eldest son of Ramono I, Tidimane Ramono’s (claimant’s father) was inaugurated in 1949. That has unleashed a powerful blow to Pilane as he does not come from the first house.

Bakgatla-ba-Kgafela archives state that Nyalala Pilane has remained a regent after been appointed by the Kgosi Linchwe II. He however stuck to his guns to resist transition when he was supposed to handover to elder brother.

That worked against him as his elder brother also de-campaigned him. He actually supported Merafe Ramono troupe in their claim, a strategy that filtered down to the tribe, which later disowned him and Kgafela.

The judgement of the Bophuthatswana High Court of 1995 also contributed to the fall of Nyalala and Kgafela. Ramono lost the case with costs then, but it did not dictate who was the rightful heir to the chieftainship. Ramono took advantage of the technicality thus the decision now.

The report also concludes that seven families constituting the broader Bakgatla royal families in Moruleng do not recognise the “paramountcy of Kgosi Kgafela and that they now consider themselves a separate tribe from that of Botswana”.

Notwithstanding, the commission has also established that Kgosi Kgafela Kgafela’s certificate of recognition as Kgosi by the government of Botswana has been withdrawn because of the warrant of arrest issued against him for assault charges. The report also revealed that it is not true that Kgafela is a South African as the Home Affairs department is still investigating his citizenship in South Africa.