Bangwato regent kgosi Sediegeng Kgamane's mediation efforts have came to nought.Last year Kgamane ruled at a meeting in Mpatane, also referred to as Shongochena, that the settlement would become a ward in Borolong after he learnt that Borolong and the settlement share a long history.But residents of Chadibe would not hear of it. They still refer to Mpatane as their own. They charge that Kgamane was out of order to offer their ward to their neighbour.
Borolong villagers argue that since Mpatane is on their side of Tlhalogang River, which divides Chadibe from Borolong, the settlement is theirs.
Samson Maramane, headman of Bototela ward in Chadibe, said he was shocked by Kgamane's decision."We did not want to argue with him because he is an elder but decided to consult our lawyers. We are still waiting for their response. This fight is not yet over. We are still awaiting our lawyer's response," Maramane fumed.He is privy to a letter written by one Mpatane, the first person to settle in the contested place, to the headman of Borolong asking him to look after 'his children' before he died.But Maramane said they did not give a hoot about the letter. Another village elder, Selebatso Themba, 52, said she always knew that Tlhalogang River divides the two villages hence what's on their side is theirs. She said the people of Borolong are fighting them because they want the junior secondary school in Mpatane to be in their village. On the other side of the river, Borolong elder Joseph Ngenda Lemba, 87, said he was stumped by the fight Chadibe was waging against their village.
