27 May 2019

Bangwato Deputy Regent Kgosi Serogola Seretse says his village is experiencing a decline in numbers of insults and common nuisance cases.

Speaking during a youth drivers outreach programme launch recently, Kgosi Seretse attributed the decline to  corporal punishment meted on perpetrators.

Popularly referred to as ‘Next’ by those he sentenced to corporal punishment and those that love his way of doing business, Kgosi Seretse said when he assumed his role young people used to misbehave willy-nilly until he started going tough on them with a cane.

“We, as dikgosi together with the police, have really made giant strides in as far as dealing with insults and common nuisance,” Kgosi Serogola told the youth.

Following a spirited corporal punishment onslaught on the misbehaving young persons, Kgosi Serogola observed Serowe suddenly realised order and peace.

Such cases, he said, were mostly a result of alcohol and drug abuse where after taking too much, the youth would go on insults spree regardless of age of their targets.

However, following in the footsteps of the yesteryear dikgosi of Ga-Mmangwato, Kgosi Serogola and others at the main kgotla decided that corporal punishment could help address common misconduct that once took the Bangwato capital by storm.

Kgosi Serogola told the gathering of young people that Bangwato leaders, spanning from Kgosi Khama III to the current disliked alcohol. He cited that Kgosi Tshekedi Khama, Bangwato Regent from 1926, was unpopular with drunkards such that he earned a name Ragonkgang.

Kgosi Tshekedi was known for asking ‘Go nkgang’ meaning, (what’s smelling) at the suspicion of alcohol.

The drunkards were punished accordingly.

Kgosi Seretse obeserved that the younger generation was resourced financially and therefore could drink every day of the week.

He also blamed the ecessive drinking on the currently relaxed laws saying that such a move allowed a longer periods of drinking after which some poorly socialised youth would then become a nuisance.

“Is there anything wrong with breeding a sober nation?” Kgosi Serogola asked rather rhetorically before conceding to the fact that alcohol was also a business that helped some Batswana.

He however, challenged residents to foster and nurture a youth who values sobriety.

He found that it had become unheard of to have a party that where  alcohol is not served.

In fact, the community leader argued that it was alcohol infested parties that the youth enjoyed the most.

Though conceding that it would be impossible to stop alcohol and also admitting that drunkards had the same rights as the sober ones, Kgosi Serogola appealed to those drinking to exercise restraint.

Kgosi Serogola also expressed disappointment at the programme launch that the real drunkards and drug abusers were absent.

However, the tribal leader appealed to those present to relay the message to their fellows who chose to stay away. ENDS