In a turn that will likely have serious repercussions, according to an article in the Midweek Sun the government has taken a decision to stop recognising the paramount chief of the Bakgatla, Kgosi Kgafela. This follows two instances where cabinet ministers showed up at the kgotla and were refused permission to speak there. They were told that they could not hold meetings at the kgotla without the kgosi being present.
The Bakgatla tribe live in Botswana and across the border in South Africa.
I wrote before about the controversy around Kgosi Kgafela but since then things have grown quite tense between the Bakgatla chief and the Khama administration. Kgafela was brought before the court for "unlawful flogging" and the case is on going. At one point he appeared to have escaped from police custody. And throughout it all, Bakgatla have stood by their kgosi.
This move by the government seems rash in a country based on consultation. We wait and see what the response will be.
I hope it all works out.
ReplyDelete