ROW OVER BIG TREE
The Lejage family in Manyana has not been able to reach a unanimous decision regarding the Mokgalo tree which has grown so large that it has become the source of contention in the family.
The family, which resides in Powane ward, is currently embroiled in a dispute over a Mokgalo tree situated in their mother, Boitumelo Lejage's yard.
One of the elder sons Lejage Lejage, who is also a traditional doctor, along with his wife, Marea Lejage, are complaining that the roots of the tree have grown so large that they are causing cracks in the walls of their house.
The two yards share a fence and the Mokgalo tree is three meters away from Lejage's house. He is not in speaking terms with his 87-year-old mother and do not see eye to eye.
Lejage and his wife, Marea stay with their children and even the children cannot speak with their grandmother.
The family is upset about the cracks on their house walls and floor, attributing the damage to the roots of the Mokgalo tree which grows in the yard where Lejage Lejage grew up.
The family has been embroiled in disputes over the mokgalo tree for 19 years, even resorting to taking their elderly mother to court in an attempt to seek compensation for damages they claim are caused by the tree.
However, the elderly woman refuses to uproot the mokgalo tree. She insists that she uses the tree for shade.
When speaking to The Midweek Sun this week, Lejage's mother, Boitumelo, stated that they are currently busy preparing for a wedding for one of her sons.
She said they intend to trim the tree to prepare for the upcoming wedding ceremony. Boitumelo made it clear she has no intentions of removing the Mokgalo tree as she uses it for shade, and it is the only tree in the yard.
Lejage's younger brother, who is on the side of the mother, recently suggested that his brother and wife dig a deep trench along the fence and cut the visible roots they may come across from their yard to prevent the roots from damaging their house.
The issue is even complicated by revelations that Lejage Lejage's mother banned him from the family yard in 2015 following his father's funeral, in favour of other siblings. Since then, he has avoided setting foot in the family yard, even for events such as family gatherings or important occasions.
'The mokgalo tree has grown to the point where it now bends over the roof of my house. It is up to my mother and her other children to decide what to do with the tree. I cannot sleep at night, snakes crawl into my house from the tree and cracks,' Lejage Lejage said.
In support of her husband, Marea stated that she already has plenty of responsibilities, including caring for their children and managing household chores. Therefore, she lacks the additional energy to dig a trench and cut tough roots from underground.
'All we desire is peace. My mother-in-law enjoys her peace on the opposite side of the yard, which we also seek to have on our side. Hence, she should take responsibility for removing the tree,” Marea said.
The argument over the Mokgalo tree continues to fuel conflicts within the family, with Lejage Lejage and his wife often attributing their misfortune to other family members. Lejage Lejage's children never visit their grandmother, further highlighting the strained relationships within the family.
The family previously sought the intervention of the Minister of Entrepreneurship and Member of Parliament for Moshupa Manyana to resolve their conflict, but he never responded to their request.
Lejage Lejage expressed hope that the minister will come to their aid to remove the large tree.
However, when approached by The Midweek Sun, Minister Karabo Gare stated that he had not yet been contacted by the Lejage family regarding their mokgalo tree conflict.