Kgafela roasts his cousin
Correspondent | Friday March 24, 2017 16:02
Ramono is a University of Cape Town trained lawyer who worked as head of commercial division at Moseneke & Partners.
Ramono is claiming the seat of Moruleng which is currently in the hands of Nyalala Pilane whom he has described as an illegal appointment by Kgosi Linchwe II in 1996.
Ramono is the eldest son of Kgosi Tidimane Pilane, appointed by Kgosi Molefi in 1949 and served until his unceremonious exit in 1993.
Tidimane was replaced by the current regent Nyalala Pilane, who is the son of Bogopa Pilane.
Kgosi Nyalala Pilane has since fallen out with Kgosi Kgafela II. Kgosi Nyalala Pilane argues that while Kgafela II is the supreme leader of Bakgatla, he has no right to unilaterally install and remove a kgosi of Moruleng. Here is a brief cross examination of Ramono by Kgafela II.
Kgafela: Your father sent a delegation to my father, Linchwe II, to request that he retires and install you as chief, why did he send that delegation to my father?
Ramono: My father Kgosi Tidimane sent a delegation when he got sick and because he was also too old to go to Mochudi to inform kgosikgolo Linchwe II that he was retiring and he would like me, as his first son to take over. It was out of courtesy by informing Linchwe as he is from the most senior house, he was not asking for permission.
Kgafela: Why was it important for him to inform Linchwe as you put it. Why didn’t he go ahead and install you as chief?
Ramono: My father knew the difficulty and the fragility of this matter, I understood him to be courteous when he informed Kgosi Linchwe because of the family ties and seniority. Not that Mochudi had jurisdiction over him.
Kgafela: Sir, your father Tidimane was kgosi of Moruleng for 49 years and in that period he never wore a leopard skin. Why is that so? Ramono: My father as I said was not draped with a leopard skin. As a compromise he chose to stamp on it. It was the circumstances at the time that led to that.
Kgafela: So sir, you say Moruleng is independent from Mochudi, and in 49 years your father was unable to wear a leopard skin? Isn’t that strange? Ramono: My father was aware of the leopard issue, but he avoided it because of the fragility of the circumstances that prevailed at the time. Remember that as I said Kgosikgolo Molefi had actually publicly pronounced my father as chief of Moruleng while the regent Isang Linchwe had his own ulterior motive hence his appointment of his own brother to come to Moruleng prior to my father.
Kgafela: Lets go to my coronation. Are you aware that during my coronation Bakgatla from Moruleng came in thousands, they drove to Mochudi? Ramono: I am not aware of that because I wasn’t there.
Kgafela: Are you aware that my coronation was live on SABC?
Ramono: I was not aware of that, but I was told so.
Kgafela: According to you, who amongst Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela nation was or has been draped with a leopard skin?
Ramono: It is you Kgosikgolo as things stand.
Kgafela: According to you, is there a period in the history of Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela where two people were draped with a leopard skin?
Ramono: Kgosikgolo I am not aware of any, I accept that.
Kgafela: If you are independent from Mochudi, why have you not organised your people to declare yourself chief and draped yourself with a leopard skin? Ramono: I have not draped myself with leopard skin and declared myself a chief because I wanted to follow due process, I have waited for this moment but there has been that sentiment on the ground and approached by people some of whom are here.
*The Maluleke Judicial Commission is investigating a traditional leadership dispute in respect of the Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela community.