BaKgatla baga Kgafela Sovereign, Kgosikgolo Kgafela II, is scheduled to address multitudes of BaKgatla tomorrow in S’fikile, Northwest Province, South Africa.
Mothusa Kgosikgolo Bana Sekai told a Kgotla meeting on Thursday (14 December 2023) that this will be Kgafela’s last address of the year and invited BaKgatla to attend in droves.
Even though Kgosi Sekai did not share details of Kgafela’s meeting, it is believed the exiled Sovereign will address issues pertaining to BaKgatla assets in light of the change of guard at the tribal office in Moruleng, where the Chief’s representative, Nyalala Pilane, has been ejected through a court order and is replaced by Kgosi Ramono Linchwe.
Kgafela will also likely update BaKgatla about the court case against the Botswana Government in which he wants BaKgatla tribal territory and its boundaries reverted to the pre-independence status. Kgafela is banking on the strength of two critical documents: Proclamation No. 9 of 29th March 1899 bearing the Seal of Her Imperial Majesty, the Queen of England, and Lord Hailey’s Report of 1953.
According to these documents, BaKgatla Ba Kgafela were given possession of their Reserve in 1899. The Census of 1946 put the number of the Kgatla in the Kgatleng Reserve, also called ‘Kgatla Country,’ who belong predominantly to Kgala baga Kgafela at 17,003.
Mochudi – the present capital of BaKgatla Ba Kgafela – was the original settlement established in 1871 by the Kgatla who accompanied Kgosi Kgamanyane from the Transvaal. The other villages in Kgatleng were founded either by later arrivals of Kgatla or by some immigrant groups.
Proclamation No. 9 of 1899 constitutes the Kgatla Reserve – that is, it gives them title over their land. It is significant that, unlike other areas in Botswana, Kgatleng District consists entirely of the Kgatla and has no Crown land or European farms!
BaKgatla have been emboldened in their resolve for a vindication claim to recover ownership of their legitimate land by the recent Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) Government’s decision to purchase land from absentee landlords of Tati Company at P1.4 billion!
They are wondering how different BaKgatla’s land title (Proclamation No. 9 of 1899) is from Tati title if BaKgatla land can be taken for free without any agreement, as it was done in 1966, while a portion of Tati land is purchased at a whopping P1.4 billion in 2023?
Kgosikgolo Kgafela has long written to President Dr. Mokgweetsi Masisi alerting him that BaKgatla land was stolen from them at independence since they were not consulted and ought to be returned to them. But according to Kgosikgolo Kfalela’s Spokesman, Phalafala Manamela, the President has, to date, not responded despite promising during his 2019 campaign that he would not rest until “Kgafela is back home.”
Besides the land issue, Kgafela has been busy rebuilding the Kgatla nation and in July this year, presided at the coronation of Kgosikgolo Nchaupe III of BaKgatla ba Mosetlha in Makapanstaad, South Africa.
He also presided over the Heritage Day celebrations in S’fikile in September and has, according to Kgosi Sekai, been actively engaged in directing issues of tribal authority by deciding on appointments and promotions at Mochudi Kgotla and its satellites.
Manamela told Botswana Guardian Online that Kgafela’s address will be to give an update on BaKgatla’s status quo, both in Mochudi and South Africa, and guidance on the road to BaKgatla independence.
Both Kgosi Sekai and Kgosi Ramono Pilane Lichwe will be in attendance as representatives of Morafe in Botswana and South Africa. Tribal regiments will also attend.
