No More 'Kgabo!' Handshakes With Commoners For Kgafela

MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE
Staff Writer | Monday March 15, 2010 00:00

 

They part with a handshake. He has encountered hundreds of clients from all sorts of backgrounds especially as a human rights lawyer meeting with all sorts of disadvantaged groups and individuals.

Since he assumed the reigns of Kgosi Kgolo of Bakgatla his handshake with the common man in the street or at his kgotla has never ceased. However he has now been instructed by his royal uncles to stop this practice with members of the public because in Bakgatla culture it is anathema for a king to shake hands with commoners.

This was emphasised on Saturday at a kgotla meeting by the tough talking Bakgatla deputy paramount chief, Kgosi Mothibe Linchwe, as he told hundreds of his tribesmen at the kgotla to stop extending their hands to the kgosi in their greetings.

And Mothibe did not mince his words when explaining why the Bakgatla Kgosi does not shake hands: 'From time immemorial, no Bakgatla kgosi has shaken hands with the public. It is anathema. The reason is clear, we know that you people like to apply muti to yourselves. Those mutis would be transmitted to the Kgosi, and that is not healthy for him, a Kgosi does not shake hands, this is meant to protect the kgosi'.

Mothibe however stressed that the precaution is not in any way intended to drive the public away from the Kgosi.'We encourage the current spirit and relationship between the Kgosi and morafe (tribe), keep on coming closer to him, but as Bakgatla, this precaution is not new to you, greet the Kgosi like you have always greeted Kgosis before him', Mothibe advised.

Interestingly Kgosi Mothibe himself seemed not keen to walk the talk; for before the kgotla meeting started, he was seen in high spirits, smiling and shaking hands with some tribesmen.

For the youthful Kgosi who is so used to the handshakes since his school days, it remains to be seen whether he will continue to shake hands with his people as he has always done, or his royal uncles would be forced to accept a situation where their Kgosi Kgolo mingles with everyone to the extent of shaking their hands!