Rasesa residents boo their chief at Kgotla meeting
Bakgatla Regent, Kgosi Bana Sekai left Rasesa Kgotla with egg on his face on Wednesday as some members of his tribe shouted and disrupted his speech from the beginning to the end.
The embarrassing scene took place during an urgent meeting which Kgosi Sekai had called to introduce Kagiso Moccay Buisanyang as Rasesa Village new Headman of records. The move to replace the former headman, Letshwenyo Rasesa, whose contract has not been renewed with Buisanyang, was met with resistance from the Rasesa community.
Leading the protesting side was Monica Metlhaleng, 68, of Sekojwane ward who described Kgosi Sekai’s move as a sign of disrespect towards the Rasesa community. Metlhaleng vowed that they were not going to allow Buisanyang in their Kgotla because he was not the rightful heir to the chieftainship.
“Sekai can take Buisanyang back to where he has been working as a Deputy, not bring him here. We have our Chief who suffered and got humiliated when there was no pay for this position but just because there is money now, they want to bring their friends here, we will not allow that,” said Metlhaleng
Speaking on the sidelines of a hostile meeting in which Sekai and Buisanyang were booed as they left the kgotla, Metlhaleng, said that the protesters would not turn violent as some had expected them to.
She further noted that that they (opposing camp) were going to go to the Kgotla in large numbers everyday to prevent Buisanyang from accessing the office.
Although the community want Rasesa as their Headman, government through the Permanent Secretary of Local Government and Rural Development, Molefi Keaja, had notified him that his contract was not renewed long back.
“I am directed to inform you by the Honourable Minister that your request to renew your contract has not been acceded to. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you on behalf of government and the Ministry for the contribution you have made towards the development of this country and the institution of Bogosi,” wrote Keaja on a letter dated 12th September and titled End of Contract and Renewal: Yourself. Rasesa was employed by government from 1993 until 2017 when he retired and got a five-year contract.
“I had wanted them to offer me another contract or at least allow me to carry out a proper hand over and not take me out the way they are pushing me out right now,” said the 67-year-old man.
Kgosi Sekai and Buisanyang refused to speak to this publication. However Sekai could be heard talking about how he was putting things in order in his tribe so that his paramount chief KgosiKgolo Kgafela Kgafela can come back to an orderly and organised morale.