THIS YEAR’S ‘DUMELA PHOKENG’ WAS AN INSULT

The Royal Bafokeng chief had in years preceding 2010, made it his practice that he visited the various makgotla of communities that make up the Bafokeng ‘tribe’. The aim of the visit was mainly to hear concerns raised by various makgotla levelled against the chief and his administration.

This year the chief, ‘for administrative purposes’, decided to club the various makgotla of Chaneng, Robega, Rasimone, Mogono, Ratshwene and Luka into one cluster. He was scheduled to ‘visit’ the clustered communities at Thethe High School at around 10am in April/May.

The proceedings started without him at around 12pm, with various communities pouring their concerns out. When he arrived and ascended the stage, he apologised for being late, and that he will not stay to finish the program as his friend has been admitted to hospital and that he had to fly to see him.

He said that they (him and his administration) did not come to hear concerns, but to tell the subjects what changes have been made in administration. He spoke for less than 15minutes and then left…. for his friend in hospital.

Well, people have said before that the chief and his administration would have long been voted out if it was not for the tribal system. ‘They have been listening to the same complaints for many years and have done absolutely nothing….nothing’, exclaimed Dodo Mekgwe.

An hour or two after he had left the meeting dispersed for the 2010 Fifa World Cup festivities outside the school yard. People were served with a plate of pap and vleis.

‘We are used to preparing food in big pots when there are events such as this. It is an insult to us that a catering company, from we don’t know where, was paid millions of rands, to prepare this poorly cooked meals for us, as if there are no women in Luka’, complained an elderly woman. ‘It is possible that they may have spiced the food with korobela to soften the ‘rebels’, complained another. ‘I have taken mine for the dog at home, I want to see if it will not die or change its ‘bad’ manners after eating the meal’, they all laughed.