Kgafela Bans Khadi Brew Sales In Kgatleng

By Monkagedi Gaotlhobogwe
Staff Writer | Monday February 8, 2010 00:00

 

Addressing a well-attended Kgotla meeting at the Bakgatla capital, Mochudi, Kgafela  said he has observed that khadi, though illegal is being  sold flagrantly  in the district. Kgafela had brought to the Kgotla meeting a big container of khadi saying he bought it from a shebeen in Morwa, on the outskirts of Mochudi. ' They were not even ashamed to sell me khadi. I have brought it here as an exhibit to show you that  the problem I am talking about is  serious.

' I don't care if people label me a dictator but I am not going to allow  the people to  die from  this toxic brew. My message to khadi traders is that 'we have been patient with you but our patience is waning'... it is high time we conducted our lifestyles with dignity,' Kgafela said to loud cheers from the crowd.

Kgafela also laid bare his frustrations with liquor traders in  Mochudi especially,  saying they have failed to adhere to the operating hours they had set for themselves.

He said  he twice called meetings of liquor traders  last year to thrash out ways in which they could licitly run their businesses.Kgafela also spoke sternly against residents who sell liquor from their homesteads. ' The truth is that some people have lost dignity and  they have embarrassed us as a nation...most of the evils are taking place at the shebeens. We have tried to accommodate liquor traders but they have not been cooperative,' Kgafela told the crowd.

Despite the liquor traders (dispoto) twice assuring  him that they  would adhere to prescribed operating hours that never happened, prompting  the Bakgatla leader to  unleash regiments on all shebeens with orders to flog  people found  drinking bjwala (alcohol) in the morning hours.

He said that the problem was so serious that in just one day  34 people were flogged at the shebeens in December last year. Kgafela said the situation has continued, hence his decision to issue the two-month ultimatum.