Gov�t fails to Spoil Chief�s crowning
Pini Bothoko | Monday September 4, 2017 16:59
Their dreams were shattered as the Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, France van der Westhuizen and the Southern District Commissioner (DC), Mmoloki Raletobana visited the village on Friday and announced that they were instructed by the government to take away the leopard skin that was to drape Kgosi Kebinatshwene Mosielele.
It was reported that at a closed meeting with the village chiefs, the duo announced to be acting under a government directive that the Bahurutshe boo-Manyana should bring back the leopard and lion hides that they had earlier applied for.
Initially, the wildlife department had granted the Bahurutshe the skins, but later on inexplicably withdrew their offer.
It was clear that their actions were influenced by the Bangwaketse who felt that Kgosi Mosielele’s wearing of a leopard skin and (use of a skin of a lion to complete the chief’s traditional crowning), will be a direct challenge to the authority of Bangwaketse chief, Kgosi Malope II, who presides over the entire territory, including Manyana.
The Bangwaketse who are against the idea of the Bahurutshe boo-Manyana to drape their Kgosi with a leopard skin had earlier reported them to the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Slumber Tsogwane.
For a month now, there have been hostilities between the two tribes.
Consequently, the Bahurutshe filed an urgent application before court last Tuesday after wildlife officers, accompanied by soldiers and police officers, tried to confiscate the skins.
Then, the Bahurutshe refused with the skins instructing the officers to bring a court order in order to confiscate them.
For days, the Bahurutshe have been having sleepless nights not knowing what will happen on their day of celebration.
When The Monitor team arrived at the village on Friday morning, residents had already filled up the Kgotla shelter to its rafters waiting patiently to know their fate.
Kgosi Mosielele’s deputy Robert Mangope told the residents that they had a private meeting with the assistant minister and the DC and at the end the Bahurutshe royal family reached a conclusion to return the skins.
“Following the disagreements we have been having with wildlife officers for a while now, at the end like you had requested us to do, we have reached a conclusion to return their skins. Like you had requested, we (the bogosi) have managed to source the skins elsewhere and our event will continue as planned,” Mangope said on Friday.
He disclosed to have been annoyed by the department’s idea of sending its officers to confiscate the skins.
He stated that as the village chiefs, they had expected someone senior like the minister to come and address their Kgosi on the matter. Reached for an interview on the sidelines of the meeting, Mangope told The Monitor that despite having returned the skins, the case before court is continuing as planned.
“We are against the idea of government giving us the skins and later confiscating them. There is a need for collective consultation to resolve this matter because this problem might be faced with a lot of tribes, especially those who are considered minor tribes, hence suffering in silence,” Mangope said.
Asked where they obtained the skins, Mangope did not want to say, except and perhaps smuggly, that The Monitor should be content with the knowledge that they managed to acquire other skins and the show went on.