A new �kgotla� leobo for Bontleng, Gaborone

Sandy Grant | Wednesday April 6, 2016 14:41

The idea may have originated in a visit some time ago to the Old Naledi ‘kgotla’ which has a very striking, thatched leobo which unfortunately is showing disturbing signs of structural defects.

If that particular visit happens to be nothing more than a coincidence, it may strike some as strange that the Old Naledi president at that time, Charles Molefi Koitsiwe, now happens to have popped up again, this time at the Bontleng Customary Court, having been, presumably, transferred.  Happily, the Bontleng Court does have the space for a leobo unlike others in Gaborone such as the Block 8 Court which hardly has room outside to swing a cat, let alone provide space for a leobo. The Sri Lankans are understandably describing  their initiative as  contributing a new kgotla to Bontleng – the idea of a kgotla being well known and therefore having wide appeal whereas it might be hard to interest anyone in helping a customary urban court.  Yet the two are the same in many ways whilst also being fundamentally different. At the time of Independence all the dikgotla in the country were rural. There wasn’t a single urban ‘kgotla’.

The Minister of Local Government who recognised that a rural institution could be transferred and used in a town and who created the first Customary Court in Old Naledi was a visionary. Whoever it was, his name should be known and honoured. A look at the phone book provides all the evidence that is required to ensure that he no longer remains anonymous.

Place after place is recorded as having either a tribal administration i.e. a kgotla or a Customary Court, of which there are now a great many. A major point about both is that wherever anybody lives in this country, town or country, he/she will have access to a court which can be accessed free of charge. The point is frequently made that Batswana have ready access to clinics and schools. 

The same point is rarely made about free courts of law. Mr Koitsiwe at Bontleng will certainly appreciate being addressed as ‘chief’ even though he holds his office by appointment – which may have much to recommend it. But because he was appointed, he  could be transferred from Old Naledi whereas a genuine, four star chief is stuck in the same place for life.  But coming to the question of design, I feel that the architect, Mr Bandula Karunaratne, should be congratulated for resisting the notion that thatch is the proper traditional roofing material for a leobo. Thatch, whilst being undoubtedly attractive, has had its day.  In an urban context it is inappropriate. But for any community to raise P300,000 for this new leobo is an enormous undertaking and commitment. The Sri Lankan community – which must be much larger than I had believed – really does need to be congratulated.  This is a splendid new kind of initiative. It will be of much interest to see if it remains as a one off or if there will be spin off of kind or another.