08 May 2014

Batlokwa paramount chief, Kgosi Puso has said the revival of cultural values and norms could help heal some of the societal ills currently affecting the nation.

Speaking at letlhafula celebrations in Tonota on Wednesday May 7, Kgosi Puso said social ills such teenage pregnancies and youth delinquency were attributable to lack of cultural acceptance.

He said it was everybody’s responsibility to ensure culture was preserved in order to build a proud nation. Turning to letlhafula celebration, Kgosi Puso said it was an encouragement to those who had lost interest in farming.

He said letlhafula celebration encouraged unity between the community and their kgosi as it provided opportunities for farmers to share their harvest with their kgosi and the less privileged members through activities such as dikgafela.

A library officer, Mr Father Maniki said the letlhafula celebration was an important event in the library calendar as the Library’s core-function was to preserve cultures of different ethnic groups.

Mr Maniki observed that due to lack of knowledge of letlhafula, some students refused to eat water melons at primary schools believing the fruit to be culinary melons (marotse).

On other issues, he said village committees such as VDCs and show committees could use events such as letlhafula to raise funds for their projects.

For his part, the farmers’ committee chairperson, Mr Nchinje Mogapi encouraged the residents to take advantage of the Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agriculture Development (ISPAAD) and care for their crops.

Mr Mogapi implored residents to take farming seriously and engage in it while still fit as some only ventured into it upon retirement from their formal jobs.

He said if taken seriously, farming could generate much income for the farmers and also be a source of food for the country.

Mr Mogapi said the letlhafula celebration was organised to pave way for Harvest Day, which will be held in June 26 and the the District Agricultural Show in July. Ends