Tselapedi at the inauguration of Kgosi Ofentse Thari Schnetler Maotoe,
Pitsedisulejang, Rustenburg
4 November 2006
Moradisi Rre Monnao J Ditlhale le Moruti Bishop MM Ditlhale
Moemedi wa Dikgosi Kgosi Ramosetlo Gasebone
Modulasetulo wa Ntlo ya Dikgosi, Kgosi Moshe Mabe
Kgosi Kgolo ya Bakgatla Kgosi Lencoe
Rrangwane Thapelo Maotoe, Rrangwane Kgomotso Maotoe,
Mme Busisiwe Ditse, Rre Bodibe Setou, Rre Dithobane Mekgwe
Bogosi bo tle ba ga Maotoe
Executive Mayor Councillor Motsepe
Mayor Molelekeng and all Mayors and Councillors present
Ba gaetsho dumelang!
I am here to represent Premier Mme Edna Molewa, the Government and people of
the North West Province. I am certain I will be speaking for all of them when I
say that I take extreme pride in this historically significant event of the
inauguration of Kgosi Thari Maotoe today.
The chronology and the rich lineage of Dikgosi that precede this
inauguration are now a matter of public record, but I would like to remind this
audience of the proud history of Barokologadi ba Ga Maotoe that dates back to
the 18th century.
Barokologadi ba Ga Maotoe split from Bapedi Community and sought refuge
among Bakgatla Ba Kgafela in 1700. They lived at Lengwana Village until 1870
when they settled at Mankgopi near Ramotswa in Botswana. On their departure
from Mankgopi they settled at Melorane which is now the Madikwe Game
Reserve.
In 1950 yet another exodus of Barologadi ba Ga Maotoe when they were
forcefully removed from Melorane to Misgund, while others to De Brak.
In 1958 from Misgund they left for Pitsedisulejang which is now the main
village of Barokologadi while other communities are settled at De Brak,
Maretlwana, Sesobe, Nkaipaa, Ramotlhajwe and Ramokgolela.
As you can see they really form a big royal family and an important
community of Batswana and the people of the entire North West. They form a
critical conveyer belt of royalty, custom, values, culture, art and oral
history that must be carried forward for generations to come.
We are therefore very delighted for the opportunity you have given us to be
part of this rich history and its continuation as you install Kgosi Thari
Maotoe as your next head and leader of his people.
The decision for Kgosi Thari Maotoe to succeed his father the late Kgosi
Sello Lawrence Maotoe was taken by the Executive of the Royal Family of
Barokologadi and the North West Provincial Government has long subsequently
recognised this appointment by Khuduthamaga.
So we are here today to officially welcome Kgosi Thari Maotoe and wish him
and his subject a long prosperous reign filled with reconstruction and
development of his people. We say this because we know that the development of
Barokologadi ba Ga Maotoe is the development of the entire North West Province
and our beloved country South Africa.
As we welcome you Kgosi, we would like to reiterate that as the province we
pride ourselves in having Dikgosi that live among the people and lead as
servants of the people, in the greater good of the entire nation. We inherited
this tradition from our forefathers and we shall pass it on to you and the next
generation ya Dikgosi.
Your inauguration today Kgosi Thari Maotoe is testimony once again to our
belief that indeed Bogosi khupe bo a dibelwa, ga se letsoku ga bo tlodiwe!
Colonialism could not extinguish it. Apartheid failed to render it null and
void and no person or government will succeed in their endeavours and
programmes if they fail to give due respect and pride of place to Bogosi ba
rona.
We are here to continue that centuries-old African tradition. Our presence
here, all of us, reaffirms our commitment to take pride in and perpetuate that
which distinguishes us from other nations of the world. We are Africans for
life!
It has been said that in addition to the fact that human beings generally
have a bigger brain that allows them the capacity for profound and abstract
thinking, we are also distinguished from other animals because we have a
culture. Without culture, we run the real risk of being reduced to ordinary
animals.
Therefore that total sum of customs, rituals, norms and values that makes us
human being is the same sum total that governs and regulates the patterns of
our day-to-day life.
It is the same sum of values that inaugurates Kgosi Thari Maotoe as the
leader of his people, dedicated to the improvement of their quality of life and
the continuation of our heritage.
Let me finally then take this opportunity to sincerely, on behalf of the
Premier, the people and the North West Provincial Government, thank
Barokologadi for this warm gesture of inviting us to Kgosi Thari Maotoe's
inauguration and wish Kgosi Maotoe long life and productive reign as head of
Barokologadi ba Ga Maotoe and a servant of his people.
I thank you.
Issued by: North West Provincial Government
4 November 2006
