A brief history of motshelo
Friday, December 19, 2014
In the decades before the economic miracles brought on by the discovery of diamonds and coal, Batswana engaged in cooperative societies commonly known as motshelo as a way of helping each other and promoting individual standards of living.
The elderly used to engage in motshelo’ during ploughing season where they would take turns helping each other plough fields or harvest. In those days, the host would provide food and traditional beer at a low cost as way of returning the favour.
Speaker of the National Assembly, Dithapelo Keorapetse, has this week rightly washed his hands of the mess, refusing to wade into a party squabble that has no clear leadership and no single version of the truth.When a single party sends six different letters to the Speaker’s office, each claiming to be the authoritative voice, it is not just confusion, but an embarrassment.Keorapetse is correct to insist on institutional boundaries. Parliament...