Fighting the �criminal� stigma in mapantsula
Thalefang Charles | Friday June 9, 2017 16:46
Peter Magubane’s iconic picture of the American Gang seating pretty in a convertible is big reference point of this era. But that is all history now.
A new breed of mapantsula, born in the streets of Mogoditshane, looks the same from the elegant American Gang but he is a totally different breed from the yesteryear feared pantsulas of Sophiatown.
Today the pantsula movement has been adopted and is currently led by respectful men and women with responsible jobs like police officers, soldiers and teachers.
Last week Saturday, mapantsula led another parade through the streets of Mogoditshane and at the end of the parade various speakers defined what is “le pantsula”.
Addressing mapantsula at the end of the parade, Mogoditshane Member of Parliament, Sedirwa Kgoroba said mapantsula are clean, elegant individuals who are not criminals like most members of the public hold.
He said, “Le Pantsula gase lenyora” to the tjovitjos - whistles of approval by mapantsula. The legislator thanked the organisers for helping to educate the public about the difference between mapantsula and petty criminals commonly called manyora saying that he will don his pantsula gear on the parade.
Boemo Bok who is a police officer based at Central Police Station also told the gathering that mapantsula should strive to demonstrate to the public that they are not criminals. Bok is a committee member in Pantsula Association in Mogoditshane. He said there is still a stigma that mapantsula are dangerous criminals that snatch people’s phones and purses.
Bok said he is a pantsula and a law enforcement officer together with other mapantsula to prove that being a true pantsula is not bad. He said they are even planning social responsibility projects to give back to the community as mapantsula.
A true pantsula is always quick to disassociate with manyora. On Saturday before the parade when mapanstula were arriving from various parts of the country, some as far as Francistown, the parade marshal announced, “in a parade clothes make the pantsula”.
The shade and label of pantsula’s trousers determined where he or she would be placed on the queue of the parade. “If you are not putting on Brentwood pants, ko morago,” said the parade marshal at the beginning of the gathering.
The expensive Brentwood trousers immaculately cut above the ankles to reveal ‘happy socks’ and neatly ironed are the pants of choice for mapantsula. The trousers always tucked in neatly with secured belts and some with suspenders.
There are various teams all placed together according to the shade of the pants. There is Team Rust, Team Sky Blue, Team Khaki, Team Black and Team Chocolate. Other teams are Team Doctors, wearing white suits, and Team Check wearing matching checked Navada suits.
The Mogoditshane parade was organised by Ditshotlo Mabifi of Chillie Pantsula based in Mogoditshane. Mabifi (49) who is also great pantsula dancer introduced his seven-year-old son Tshegofatso Mabifi as the “next top pantsula”. He said he wants to prove that being a pantsula is lifestyle that could be adopted by a family. The whole of Mabifi’s family, from him, the wife and two sons are all mapantsula who don Brentwood and dance to disco music.