Kgafela Vows To Crack The Whip

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Monday January 11, 2010 00:00

 

The Bakgatla paramount chief vowed that they are going to crack the whip on wrong doers, come what may. 'We are going to beat them up. We are going to whip them,' he repeated.

Since he took over last year, Kgafela has put emphasis on the restoration of traditional values.  He has also called for the maintenance of discipline and this has led to a rise in the number of people who were flogged in public.

Last year young members of a Mochudi drama group were flogged at the village kgotla for singing initiation songs.  There was concern that the young actors did not deserve this type of punishment just for promoting culture.

Towards the end of last year, Kgafela's younger brother, Mmusi Pilane ordered the flogging of an elderly man whom he accused of stealing his bridles. Pilane claimed that the man defied the tribal authorities by refusing to turn up at the royal palace when he was ordered to do so.  The man was flogged even though he is over 40. The law stipulates that only males who are 40 and below can be flogged. The government has since ordered an investigation over this incident.

The flogging of people on bare backs has also been outlawed. People are only whipped on their buttocks. But in Kgatleng, they still apply corporal punishment on people's backs and even to women.

During the festive season, some men were flogged by members of a regiment. Their alleged crime was that they were drinking Chibuku before noon. Chibuku is not covered by the liquor regulations and it can be sold and consumed at any time.  But in Kgatleng, the tribal authorities have ordered that shebeens should only start selling Chibuku at noon. 

Despite concerns that they are trampling on people's rights, Kgafela insists that they will continue to maintain law and order in a traditional way.

'We do not flog each and everyone. We only flog criminals. There is nobody who has been flogged without being found guilty,' said the Bakgatla chief. 

A former human rights lawyer, Kgafela said if there is anyone who is complaining about the violation of human rights, they must go to court. 

'We are not violating anyone's rights,' he said, adding that they are only stepping on the toes of people who have no respect for the rights of other citizens.

'We are not going to allow people to terrorise us then take cover because of their age,' he said.

Kgafela said he is equally concerned about human rights. 'I am doing this because of my sensitivity to human rights,' he said. 

'The rights of the whole community has been under constant violation by certain people who have taken advantage of the weaknesses in the Western form of justice. People who criticise us have no clue of human rights. Human rights are both ways,' said the former private attorney.

The deprivation of people's property by thieves, he said, is the worst form of human rights abuse. Kgafela said they also flog men who physically abuse their wives and girlfriends.  He said there will be no mercy for this lot.

As far as Kgafela is concerned, there is nothing wrong with corporal punishment. 'It does not leave permanent scars.  It is not brutal at all,' he argued. 

Kgafela said when he toured the district to discuss issues of concern with his tribe, every village requested that they should revive flogging. Kgafela has no excuse at all about the punishment that they are meetting out. 

'Our lives are not going to be dictated by public opinion. I am not going to let our culture to be compromised by public opinion.

We are going to lead our lives in a way which we feel is good for our community. If Bakgatla agree with it, we do not have a problem.'

'In terms of the restoration of our values, I have put my head on the block,' he said as a parting shot.