Villagers vow legal fight as Minister’s ruling reignites decades-old dispute.
The authority of Minister of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Ketlhalefile Motshegwa, was openly undermined when he delivered his long-awaited decision to regroup the disbanded Tumasera village on Monday. Rasesa leadership, including Kgosi Sesa Maleele, his brother and uncles, and leading Rasesa residents, expressed strong opposition. Gaotlhobogwe Maleele, brother of Rasesa village chief Sesa Maleele, dismissed the Minister as “unfit” to make the ruling he had brought before them. Maleele, who has publicly and repeatedly rejected the merging of the three settlements, accused Motshegwa of misleading himself with “wrong information” and ignoring the community’s longstanding concerns over population figures provided by Statistics Botswana. He said this in response to the Minister’s decision to regroup the three villages, considering the population size of the villages that wanted to be independent.
“We are not surprised, we know you have relations with those who were complaining and for the merger. Mme re bata gore re go bolelele gore o kgakala thata le go ka tseela motse wa Rasesa ditshwetso, that is, you are not the right person to make decisions for the village of Rasesa, which existed even before independence. You will not decide for us in a school hall, we have a Kgotla for that,” he said.
Another resident, Lazarus Madidimala, described the Minister as “a confused man” who was stretching powers he did not have. He insisted that residents have been clear in their demand to remain an independent village and accused Motshegwa of ignoring their voice. Despite the hostile tone, the Minister held his ground, telling the crowd that he had full authority to deliver the decision after listening to their submissions over time. He warned that the endless dispute over the Tumasera name would “never end” if people remained ready for war and refused to accept decisions. He cautioned that constant resistance would stall development, noting that issues of location and division already delay projects that could benefit the area.
“It is impossible to please everyone, our role as leaders is to find neutral ground,” Motshegwa said.
Motshegwa further hinted that the hostility is being fuelled by internal power struggles, saying some individuals were fighting for Bogosi for the financial and status benefits that come with it, a battle he warned could threaten peace within the community. The leadership of Rasesa has also challenged the government’s decision to confirm Tumasera as an official village, saying it ignores their voices, undermines their cultural identity, and threatens their traditional leadership. They are now seeking legal action to stop the government from implementing the decision.
Motshegwa announced the decision at Sesholo Junior Secondary School, explaining that it followed concerns raised during a community meeting in August 2025. He said most residents at that meeting had expressed a desire for Tumasera to remain a village. The Minister also confirmed that the Tumasera Customary Court would reopen to provide judicial services and that the headmen of Tupya, Malete, and Rasesa would continue in their current leadership roles.
Despite the Minister’s statements, Maleele accused the Minister of bypassing proper consultation with local leaders. “The Minister has told untruths concerning consultations made. He sidelined our dikgosi of the three villages. The only time we met him was when we asked to meet him, and even then, he sent us to Palapye,” Maleele said. He added that the kgotla meetings held by the Minister were chaotic, leaving residents’ questions and concerns largely ignored.
Maleele also pointed out that the Minister’s decision contradicts the 1995 court ruling, which recognised Tumasera only as a central kgotla to handle cases from the surrounding villages, and not a village. The dispute is also political. Maleele accused a group of former BDP members, who now dominate the Tumasera kgotla, of influencing the Minister’s decision. He claimed this group has long controlled local Village Development Committees, tendering processes, and administrative decisions, effectively sidelining traditional leadership.
“Elections here were no longer contested along party politics but village politics, and this move erodes our identity,” he said. Maleele warned that the Minister’s decision strengthens the political influence of a single faction at the expense of the wider community. History and culture are at the centre of the controversy. Rasesa and Malete were the first ethnic groups to settle in the area, while Seleka arrived later with permission from Malete. Maleele stressed that Rasesa has 14 wards and a Headman of Record, making it a well-established traditional village. “As a traditional ethnic polity of Bapedi Bagananwa, Rasesa has always had rainmaking rituals and cultural practices. But with this political movement, our culture has been sidelined, and now the Minister wants to impose a cruel system that ignores our history,” he said. They argue that forcing their village under Tumasera threatens their autonomy and undermines centuries-old traditions. Development concerns are another major source of frustration. Rasesa leadership claim they have received no meaningful infrastructure, such as tarred roads, drainage systems, or paved streets, while development projects have been concentrated around the Tumasera kgotla. Maleele said that transport difficulties worsen the situation. “People are dropped off near the kgotla or clinic, and we have to walk long distances home. How can this system be fair?” he asked.
He also questioned population figures used by the Minister, noting that the 2001 census recorded 4,305 people under Tumasera, while new statistics suggest only 2,600. Many residents did not participate in the recent census due to ongoing disputes, making the figures unreliable. The Rasesa community has proposed an alternative to the current system. Each village — Rasesa, Malete, Tupya, and Seleka — should have its own Village Development Committee, which would send representatives to a central kgotla to coordinate shared affairs. Maleele warned that reopening the Tumasera Customary Court and maintaining the current ward headmen could entrench political influence and marginalise Rasesa further. Internal disputes within the Maleele chieftainship, which have resulted in competing claims of authority, add another layer of concern about the stability of local governance.
Minister Motshegwa defended the government’s position, saying the restatement ensures continuity in leadership, improves access to essential services, and allows for coordinated development in Tumasera. He said Seleka remains a separate village following a previous court ruling, while Tupya, Malete, and Rasesa continue to operate under the unified Tumasera administration. Rasesa residents argue that this threatens their identity, culture, and development opportunities. They insist that the Minister’s move prioritises political influence over traditional rights and community needs. Plans are already underway to challenge his decision, most likely through the courts.