Family battle for Kang bogosi

SYLVIAH DISELE AND ZOLANI KRAAI
Correspondents | Friday April 26, 2013 00:00

The tension has now erupted between the son of the late Kgosi Motaung Pego, Omponye Pego who believes his father was the only chief ordained and wore a leopard skin in the long line of the Kang chieftaincy. As a result,  he believes  he is the right heir to the throne. On the other hand, Basadi Seipone who is the  daughter of the late CP seeks to be recognised as the heiress to the throne.  When contacted by Mmegi to confirm the allegations that she is in a tussle for the position with her cousin Omponye, Basadi was quick to give a response that she is not going to reveal to Mmegi anything as to whether she is interested in contesting for the chieftaincy or not. 'If you want to know what is really happening you should have attended the past Kgotla meeting,' Basadi said before hanging up the phone.

According to Omponye, despite the fact that there are those who want the throne, he has observed that their interference and interest does not entitle them to it. He said that Basadi Seipone,  was once told by the community some time ago during a Kgotla meeting that she was not the right heir. 

This publication has also learnt that Pego Seipone, CP's father, was married to three women. His first wife didn't produce a male heir: his second wife is mother to a certain Omponye Motaung while Basadi Seipone is the late CP's daughter and the tug of war for the bogosi is between her and her paternal uncle, Omponye. In addition, Church did not want any of his children to rule as they are all women and he believed that a woman could never be a Kgosi in his father's land.

Further investigations revealed that Omponye had never shown interest in ousting the late CP, as he believed that CP's resignation was in line with his father's wish who left the throne to be a traditional doctor.  A furious Omponye blames the whole scenario of the dispute for chieftaincy on some individuals who some years back cheated during the vote so that CP could rise to the throne.  'There was some scheming that happened that's why CP later became the Kgosi. At that time, my paternal uncle Samuel Pego was supposed to act as Kgosi but some people from CP's camp decided to force closure to the position by bringing him to lead the tribe on the basis that Samuel was illiterate,' Omponye confidently said.

Despite the cheating that occurred there were people who wanted Samuel to be Kgosi but at that time he was still a public servant working as a Wildlife Officer. At the same time, there was another group that was in favour of CP who was also a public servant based at Bogogobo in the Kgalagadi South, narrated Omponye. He futher told Mmegi that CP resigned from his post of court clerk to vie for the position of Kgosi and since he and Samuel wanted the chieftaincy, there was a vote and CP rose to the throne in the early seventies. According to Omponye, CP once called a meeting where he told the likes of Basadi (his daughter) and others that the chieftaincy does not belong to them,' Omponye said. 'Among the people who attended the meeting were Kgosi Joseph Masimong Phori of Phuduhudu, Kgosana Mokhutshwane Kgakge of Go-Moriti ward in Kang and Kgosana Seka Borwaetsile of Inalegolo,'said Omponye. He further said a certain Borwaetsile confessed in a Kgotla meeting addressed by the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Peter Siele that CP told them that the chieftaincy belongs to him (Omponye Pego). Omponye says he is now disappointed that Kgosana Kgakge and Kgosi Phori are not willing to tell the truth about the whole issue. Omponye said this faction that is not willing to relate what Church said, are doing so because they are basing their arguments on the fact that they want written evidence. He said that his late father was generous and respectful that's why he managed to leave the chieftaincy in pursuit of becoming a traditional doctor.

Kemmonye Makatane, a Councillor for Kang North said that Minister Siele has tried to intervene on three occasions but there seems to be no solution. Two names were submitted, Omponye and Basadi and according to reliable sources, there is a likelihood of going to polls since the late Kgosi Church Seipone also assumed the position in the same way. This is supported by the fact that after getting both sides of the factions to declare their interest, the Attorney General advised that the best solution is to vote, of which the date is still to be announced.

So far, in the absence of a chief a lot of cases and community issues that need to be resolved are pending since the deputy chief is restricted to handle them and that substitute chiefs from other villages are often assigned to come and resolve the disputes,'said Makatane.

'There cannot be order as the deputy chief is acting, normally he is employed on a three months contract after which everything comes to a standstill,' Makatane said. The late CP was the longest serving BaKgalagadi representative at the Ntlo ya Dikgosi before Kgalagadi was divided into Kgalagadi North and South. David Seetelo II Toto is currently representing both Kgalagadi South and North at the house of chiefs.