Tension rears ugly head in Serule

Ivy Matlho | Friday January 22, 2016 15:22

This was evident during a meeting that was called by a group calling itself the ‘Concerned Group’ on Wednesday where they called for an immediate end to the differences.

The conflict was exposed last July when Mabutho complained about a P680,000 project which he said was at a risk of being stolen from the community.  In the Wednesday heated kgotla meeting, Rebaone Messe, a representative of a rival group that sprouted at the gathering, supposedly to rival “Concerned Group”,  told residents that the money Mabutho is accused of misusing was spent in other village developments.

“This issue of the misused money is not true. The money was used in some of the village projects,” he said. Messe then called for the resignation of the councillor to ease tensions in the village since he (Mabutho) has ignored their call for his reconciliation with traditional leaders and the Village Development Committee (VDC). “We have called Mabutho several times so that we engage in talks, but he has refused stating that he does not recognise members of our group or even Dikgosi,” he said. Other residents also called for the recalling of the councillor and dissolution of the VDC, stating that the two parties are dividing the village and dragging the village name in the mud. One resident, Mosimanegape Obakeng, said that their village has never before experienced any conflict and suggested that if Mabutho is not willing to cooperate and respect the leaders, the villagers are left with no option but to sack him. He said that Serule village will not be at peace unless Mabutho steps down. “We are fed up by the divisions in our village, Mabutho has no respect for our traditional leaders, we no longer want him,” he said. In an interview, Mabutho said that the only reason why the traditional leaders and their supporters are against him is because he wants transparency. He said that the conflict started when he requested former VDC chairperson, Lefetsakgang Mokhondo, to account for VDC money that went missing. He said that the VDC account had no money despite the VDC earning money from rent collections and other sources of income.

“I asked the former VDC chairman to account for P63,000 that was missing and he failed. That is when I started to be called names and being labelled a bad person,” he said.

Mabutho said traditional leaders hate him because of his unique vision to develop the village. He said that Dikgosi are threatened by his ideas, hence looking for all means to tarnish his name. He said allegations that he is controlling the current VDC are all falsehoods. He said traditional leaders, the ‘Concerned Group’ and their supporters are against the current VDC because it does not operate according to their dictates.  “There are a lot of changes ochestrated by the current VDC. They are responsible and they account for the money unlike previous committees. That is why people are against them,” he said. 

He added that he refused to attend the meeting not because he disrespects the leaders, but because the meeting was unlawful. He said that it is surprising that the group is headed by the sister to Kgosi Oletile Modisa, the former councillor Seno Mokhondo and Messe who lost against him during Bulela Ditswe primary elections.

“To me, this group is of bitter people. They will try by all means to tarnish my name because they want me out of the council,” he said.

He said he has written a letter to their Member of Parliament, Kgotla Autlwetse, requesting his intervention.  “I wonder why they are busy organising illegal meetings. The only meeting I am going to attend is the one that will be called by the MP (Kgotla Autlwetse) because I have sought his intervention,” he said.