Lerala Residents Want Kgosi Moroka Out
Onalenna Kelebeile | Monday August 21, 2017 16:35
The residents’s major difference with their leader, Kgosi Sello Moroka, started after the latter allegedly chose Kgosi Theo Selebatso to act in his capacity, as Moroka will be going for further studies for four years.
The residents even want their chief to be ousted from his position because they accuse him of having not consulted them when he chose Selebatso to act on his behalf during his absence.
The residents oppose Selebatso’s appointment because they say he is not of royal lineage, but instead want Kgosana Ookeditse Shaw to hold the fort for Moroka because to them he is the rightful candidate. Last week during a meeting that the residents convened at Lerala’s community hall, the residents appointed a delegation led by Boetelo Malope to take their concerns to Bangwato regent, Kgosi Sediegeng Kgamane in Serowe.
On Wednesday, the residents gathered at the village main Kgotla in the morning awaiting feedback from the delegation.
The residents had to wait patiently for three hours for the meeting to start. This was because the deputy district commissioner Ernest Phiri and senior superintendent Paul Molapise stopped the delegation on their tracks, summoned them to a private meeting where they were informed them, together with dikgosana and councillors, that they cannot address the community at the Kgotla
They were also told that Kgamane has acknowledged receipt of their concerns and has promised to come to address them in the near future.
Apparently, Kgosana Sebopelo Boitumelo had written a letter to the delegation on Tuesday informing them that they cannot hold a meeting at the Kgotla without his permission.
Sebopelo signed the letter on behalf of Kgosi Moroka.
However, councillors Kabo Ketshogile and Gabagopole Sebele suspected that the letter was not authentic and wondered who authorised Sebopelo to write it. At around 1pm the delegation and councillors asked the residents to vacate the Kgotla.
The meeting continued at the Village Development Committee (VDC) premises where they were given feedback. Malope informed the residents that they have lodged a complaint with Kgamane that Moroka did not consult them, particularly when he chose Selebatso to lead them while he (Moroka) will be on study leave.
“He (Kgamane) gave us an audience and informed us that he is still handling the issue with the ministry, and he will come and give us feedback,” he said.
He told the gathering that they had hoped to address the meeting at the Kgotla, but they were denied that opportunity. “We were told to tell you that Kgosi Kgamane will come and therefore today’s meeting should not go ahead. Who has the right to stop us from addressing the community that we serve?” Malope asked angrily.
For his part, councillor Sebele said they convened the meeting at the kgotla to prove to the district commissioner how they are ‘suffering’ in their own village.
“The meeting took long to start because we were still being censored on how we should address you. Who gave the district commissioner the order to censor what I am supposed to say to the people that I represent,” he wondered.
Sebele said the community has suffered for too long and that now it is time for them to start rebuilding their village. “The power to change the status quo rests upon you residents and you must trust all the decisions I make as your leader. The main concern in our village is lack of consultation,” he said.
Councillor Ketshogile said they had planned to address morafe in the kgotla but they received a letter from Sebopelo barring them to do so.
For their part, the residents who attended the meeting also said that they wanted their Kgosi to be given his marching orders because he does not consult them.
They vowed they would never allow anybody who is not of the royal blood to lead them.