Government Rejects Bakgalagadi Recognition Appeal
Tefo Pheage | Monday June 13, 2016 15:47
Information before The Monitor reveals that a group of Bakgalagadi recently met with the minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Slumber Tsogwane to negotiate for recognition. The minister, who confirmed the visit, rejected their appeal on the basis that they had not convinced the people they were representing. Tsogwane told The Monitor that he sent the group back with the message that they should organise themselves first.
“I suggest you speak to them, I do not want to speak more on the issue as it is still in its infancy,” he said.
The ministry is of the view that the Bakgalagadi issue is very complex as the tribe is scattered all over the country without any tribal supreme leaders. Major groups of Sekgalagadi speakers, significant of whom live in the Southern and Kweneng districts as well as in the central North West, Ngamiland, Ghanzi and Kgalagadi districts are Bakgwatlheng, Bangologa, Babolaongwe, Baphaleng and Bashaga, Bakhena and Balala.
Lehututu chief, Paton Montshiwa told The Monitor that it is their wish to be recognised as a tribe but the government may have a point because “if you are recognised you have to submit the name of your paramount chief”. Montshiwa said currently they do not have a paramount chief because they were fragmented by historical events.
Acknowledging that it is going to be a challenge to address this issue, he implored the tribe to sit down and discuss the matter first.
Another complexity, sources say is the fact that there is no tribe called Bakgalagadi, but instead there exists different tribes living within the belt of the Kalahari Desert. Currently there are ongoing debates on Bakgalagadi paramouncy, an issue that does not seem to be ending.
According to University of Botswana historian, Professor Fred Morton, tradition suggests that many Bakgalagadi were living under Bakgwatlheng paramouncy in the Dithejwane area near present Molepolole from where they were driven west by encroaching Batswana.
“Others were enslaved by the Batswana as herders and domestic servants. Since that time roughly around the beginning of the 18th century, Bakgalagadi have been fragmented,” Morton said.
It is understood that the decision to seek recognition was taken by some Bakgalagadi without the knowledge of some of their chiefs, most of whom were clueless about the move by their subjects when reached by The Monitor.