North West MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Mothibedi Kegakilwe on the inauguration of Kgosi Motsaathebe Moshoete

Programme Director
Members of the North West house of Traditional Leadership
Kgosi Mabe
Morafe Boo Barolong Boo Ratlou Bag a Seitshiro
The Mayor of Tswaing Local Municipality
Executive Mayor of Ngaka Modiri Molema
Executive Mayors and Mayors
Councillors
Ladies and gentlemen

It is an honour for me to be part of this occasion which will most certainly be written in the history of this area. I am mostly honoured by the fact that this celebration comes at a very crucial time in the history of our democratic dispensation where government has recognised the role and the importance of traditional leadership in our society today and also the month of heritage as we celebrated heritage day yesterday.

Currently, all efforts are channelled towards overhauling the system in order to create a functional, responsive, accountable, effective and efficient house of traditional leadership and Bogosi in our respective areas. As a build-up towards the third local government elections next year (2011), we must restore the confidence of Barolong Boo Ratlou that Kgosi Motsaathebe Moshoette will take them through the elections and that He is the right heir to be enthroned today. Ke kgosi ya lona, Ga a patelediwa mo go lona, ke ngwana wa lona, ka jalo a re mo amogeleng ka aatla tsoo pedi re mo tshegetseng, re dirisane mmogo le ena.

Programme Director, this event comes at a crucial time when the institution of Bogosi is faced with so many challenges. We must admit that there are challenges and there are problems within this institution. Dikgwetlo tse re kopanang le tsona re tshwanetse go shebana le tsona, re seka rare jaaka morafe rare gase mathata a rona ke mathata a kgosi. Kgosi ke kgosi ka Morafe, ebile Morafe o tshwanetse go gakolola kgosi mmogo le bantlo ya segosi, bo rrangwane jalojalo le traditional council ya rona.

Rona re le puso ke maikarabelo a rona go ema boigosi nokeng, ebile ke batla go loitsise jaana gore gore bogosi is a permanent institution ebile gaq gago ope oo ka tlosang bogosi. Bogosi is a legislated institution through the Traditional Leaders Act, 1997 (Act 10 of 1997). Its objectives and functions are to promote the role of traditional leadership within a democratic dispensation, enhance unity and understanding among traditional communities and advise national government and also the North West House of Traditional Leaders Act no 3 of 2009, which also makes a provision for the recognition of Bogosi in the North West. Even our constitution which is the supreme law of our country recognises Bogosi as an institution and also mandates the establishment of houses of traditional leaders by means of either provincial or national legislation. Ka jalo Bagaetsho a le rona re ithute go tlotla le go tlotlomatsa bogosi jwa rona.

Programme chair, in March 2008, Cabinet approved a proposal to establish a national department for traditional leadership under the minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs to restore the dignity of traditional leadership, which is the custodian of African customs and heritage. Hence programme chair I am saying bogosi ke setso sa rona, re tsalwa le bogosi ebile re tla swa le bogosi.

Bagaetsho, Barolong BooRatlou, Motsaathebe ke oo, mo tlogeleng a le tseele thebe gore ka yona a lo sireletse. Gompieno re mo tlhoma semmuso jaaka Kgosi Barolong Boo Ratlou ebile bke solofela gore lo tla mo fa kemo nokeng e ae tlhokang. Mopresidente wa naga Rre Jacob Zuma mo puong ya gagew ya ngwage o rile ga re dira mmogo re tla kgona, working togehter we can do more, ebile le Setswana sare se tshwara ke ntsa pedi ga se thata.

Programme Director, I’m fully convinced that Kgosi Moshoete nwill serve his people with pride and dignity. He is a man of integrity and I am happy to have known him and worked with him. He is an ambitious man with a lot of intelligence, a man with a vision and a dream for his people. A vision of eradicating poverty and improving the lives of Barolong Boo Ratlou. He is a man who will take rural development as one of his important initiative. The kind of a man who will listen to the voice of his people. A man who will subscribe to Batho Pele principle and that Barolong Boo Ratlou comes first.

To our sector department, especially Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, it is our humble request to assist Barolong Boo Ratlou in their rural development and Local Economic Development initiatives. Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality and Tswaing Local Municipality assist and work together with Barolong Boo Ratlou. Support Kgosi Moshoette.

I thank you, ke a leboga, dankie.