Although he did not make any clear reference to events in the Kgatleng District after the controversial Kgosi Kgafela Kgafela took over the reins and illegal flogging of people took centre stage, it was clear the minister was advising the Bangwaketse tribal leader against following suit. "Your most important duty is not to flog people but to unite the tribe. Bangwaketse are part of the Batswana nation and it would be unfortunate if one as a kgosi could try to separate his tribe from the larger nation," Mokalake said.
The minister said that contrary to claims that the political leadership did not value the role of bogosi in both nation building and development of the country, government was committed to ensuring that the institution was not disturbed nor barred from discharging its duties effectively but that dikgosi should not trample on individuals' constitutional rights."If government did not take bogosi seriously it could have been abolished like it happened when other African countries gained independence. Government would have not (for instance) established Ntlo ya Dikgosi," Mokalake said.
