28 Nov 2019

Dikgosi continue to play an important role in addressing some of the challenges the society face, among them crime, land disputes and other social ills.

This was said by the Takatokwane legislator Mr Tshoganetso Leuwe when contributing to the State-of-the-Nation Address, in Parliament.

He said the Bogosi institution needed to be empowered to effectively deliver on its duties.

He observed that the pride and poise of the Kgotla setup had diminished over the past years thereby rendering Bogosi irrelevant.

Mr Leuwe also pleaded with the community to honour Bogosi saying Dikgosi play a significant role in the administration of the country as they had shown leadership capabilities in the rules of law from pre-independence time.

He said the Kgotla system, was the most democratic set up in the country where everyone was entitled to voice their opinions.

The legislator equally cautioned politicians not to abuse the Kgotla democratic setup.

He urged the community to refrain from perceiving the responsibility of the Kgotla only as a disciplinary place where wrongdoers in the community were brought forward for justice.

He said the Kgotla served as a platform where government policies and important information was disseminated to the community.

“Today, Kgotla meetings are still held, where local issues are debated. The general goal is to attain consensus on whatever issue the assembly happens to be discussing,” he said.

Furthermore, Mr Leuwe acknowledged government efforts to give tribal administration a facelift through the construction of kgotla through the Economic Stimulus Programme.  

He however raised concern that some Kgotlas in his constituency were yet to benefit from the programme.

He said some tribal administration offices in his constituency were yet to be given vehicles that would enable them to carry their duties.

He also urged the government to further establish a commission of enquiry to review in detail, the entire Bogosi salary structure, saying some Dikgosi had in the past traded their throne for active political participation, something which he attributed to poor salary structures in the Bogosi system.

Mr Leuwe called on the government to increase the Remote Area Service Allowance (RASA), as it was the only incentive that attracted civil servants to work in rural areas. ENDS