A group of women from the platinum rich Bakgatla Ba Kgafela royal family in Moruleng, North West, stormed into the offices of premier Supra Mahumapelo on Thursday, demanding that he "stops interfering" with the administration of their tribe.
Over 100 women held placards written: "We have lost confidence in you Supra, stop crime, greed and corruption and hands off Bogosi".
They had travelled in two buses from Moruleng to Mafikeng, a 250km journey, to hand over a petition to Mahumapelo.
The group gave government seven days to respond.
However, Mahumapelo was not present at his offices, and the memorandum was received by chief of staff of the provincial department of arts, culture and traditional affairs, Thabo Kaweng.
The group said it was incensedby Mahumapelo's alleged interference in the Maluleka commission of inquiry. The commission was appointed by Mahumapelo to deal with the succession dispute of the Bakgatla Ba Kgafela.
In September last year the paramount Chief of the tribe in Mochudi, Botswana Kgafela Kgafela II, testified at the commission in Rustenburg that there were corrupt activities happening under the administration of Moruleng chief Nyalala Pilane.
In the petition the group demanded Mahumapelo to stop, with immediate effect, all engagements with Kgafela II, pending finalisation of the recommendation by the judicial commission of inquiry.
They also demanded that a full probe be instituted against Kgafela II in respect of his alleged fraudulent birth certificate.
Pilane's aunt Ntshadi Pilane-Tsheole alleged that Kgafela II has been declared an illegal immigrant by the office of the public protector.
"We, the royal aunts and bona fide women of Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela, reject any attempt by the premier and the government to seek to impose Kgafela Kgafela II on the traditional community of Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela in Moruleng," Pilane-Tsheole said.
North West MEC for arts, culture and traditional affairs Ontlametse Mochware said the women must wait for the commission to conclude its work.
tshehleb@ sowetan.co.za
Women confront premier
A group of women from the platinum rich Bakgatla Ba Kgafela royal family in Moruleng, North West, stormed into the offices of premier Supra Mahumapelo on Thursday, demanding that he "stops interfering" with the administration of their tribe.
Over 100 women held placards written: "We have lost confidence in you Supra, stop crime, greed and corruption and hands off Bogosi".
They had travelled in two buses from Moruleng to Mafikeng, a 250km journey, to hand over a petition to Mahumapelo.
The group gave government seven days to respond.
However, Mahumapelo was not present at his offices, and the memorandum was received by chief of staff of the provincial department of arts, culture and traditional affairs, Thabo Kaweng.
The group said it was incensedby Mahumapelo's alleged interference in the Maluleka commission of inquiry. The commission was appointed by Mahumapelo to deal with the succession dispute of the Bakgatla Ba Kgafela.
In September last year the paramount Chief of the tribe in Mochudi, Botswana Kgafela Kgafela II, testified at the commission in Rustenburg that there were corrupt activities happening under the administration of Moruleng chief Nyalala Pilane.
In the petition the group demanded Mahumapelo to stop, with immediate effect, all engagements with Kgafela II, pending finalisation of the recommendation by the judicial commission of inquiry.
They also demanded that a full probe be instituted against Kgafela II in respect of his alleged fraudulent birth certificate.
Pilane's aunt Ntshadi Pilane-Tsheole alleged that Kgafela II has been declared an illegal immigrant by the office of the public protector.
"We, the royal aunts and bona fide women of Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela, reject any attempt by the premier and the government to seek to impose Kgafela Kgafela II on the traditional community of Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela in Moruleng," Pilane-Tsheole said.
North West MEC for arts, culture and traditional affairs Ontlametse Mochware said the women must wait for the commission to conclude its work.
tshehleb@ sowetan.co.za
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