20 Aug 2014

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Peter Siele has affirmed his recognition of Mr Cosmos Moapare as sub chief of Hukuntsi thus bringing to an end a dispute between the Moapare and Leipego families that dates back to 1993.

Speaking in a kgotla meeting in Hukuntsi on August 18, Minister Siele announced that the appointment of Mr Cosmos Moapare was in accordance with the wishes of the community of Hukuntsi as it was desirous of designating him as their sub chief as per the Bogosi Act of 2008.

The Hukuntsi throne became vacant in October 2012 subsequent to the death of Kgosi Anthony Moapare, the father to Cosmos. Kgosi Molaodi Leipego has been acting as sub chief since the death of Kgosi Anthony Moapare.

Minister Siele indicated that government was concerned with the increasing bogosi disputes among many communities across the country and urged the royal families to always try to find diplomatic ways of ironing out their differences before displaying their dirty linen in public. 

He said it was disappointing to note that his ministry was always called upon to mediate bogosi disputes, something which he said could easily be dealt with by the royal families since they were better positioned to define their chieftainship.

Mr Siele therefore affirmed the end of their bogosi dispute and requested them to earnestly start preparing to install Mr Cosmos Moapare as the rightful heir to the throne.

The announcement of Cosmos as the rightful heir was however received with mixed feelings as some of the royalists from the Leipego family continued to state their disapproval of the appointment.

According to Mr Keabetswe Molatelele, who referred himself as the uncle to the Leipego, it was inappropriate for the minister to appoint Mr Cosmos Moapare as the rightful heir to the throne since the Moapares were only sworn in as regents during the colonial era hence it was high time the Leipegos were given what was rightfully theirs.

He narrated that their great-grand father, Kgotlafela I, who was the leader of the Bangologa tribe was killed in a lion hunt and therefore, their uncle, Magobelelo who was the father to Moapare I, was sworn in as a regent.

He said the Leipegos are against the appointment of Cosmos Moapare to the throne as the Moapares are younger than the Leipegos in the family tree. 

The Moapares, he said were only sworn in as regents and therefore, it is rightfully fitting for the throne to be handed back to the Leipegos since they are the eldest of the two.

Contrary to the Leipegos insights, Mr Samson Moapare on the other hand dismissed the notion that the Moapares were only sworn in temporarily as regents. 

The late Kgosi Anthony Moapare, he said, was draped in a leopard skin as a traditional way of installing a kgosi, but not a regent.

He said the Moapares have for years been identified and honoured as royalists and their chieftainship dates way back to the generation of Moapare I.

He said history does reveal that the Leipegos were at some point at the helm of the Hukuntsi chieftainship, and therefore, it is surprising that the Leipegos were claiming the right to the Hukuntsi throne.

He indicated that he fully supports the appointment of Cosmos Moapare as Hukuntsi kgosi.

 “It is traditionally right that the son inherits the father’s position and that is why even the minister has endorsed the name of Cosmos Moapare. ENDS