16 Jan 2014

A determined tribal leadership that applied corporal punishment to the full extent, a police service that would not leave any stone unturned and a community that cooperated all the way ensured gangs of unruly youth that recently brought terror to Thamaga village were disbanded.

Paramount chief of Bakgatla ba ga Mmanaana, Gobuamang Gobuamang told BOPA in an interview with the village leadership Wednesday that the groups, which went by the names Merubisi or Matsetsenkane had now stopped terrorising the community. The gangs beat, maimed robbed and killed people with great impunity until the tribal leadership, the community and the police came together in August 2013 and declared their own war on terror against the gangs.

While regretting the fact that an anti-terror mophato that was to start village-wide patrols at the end of August could not be assigned for lack of enough volunteers, Kgosi Gobuamang said consistent warnings issued through  various village structures, cooperation from the community, and meting out justice which included corporal punishment and sending perpetrators to jail worked.

To maintain the calm and peace that the community is currently enjoying he will release a mophato on September 15. Deputy Paramount chief of Bakgatla ba ga Mmanaana, Tshepiso Mosielele, who also participated in fielding question asked parents to take responsibility for their children. Mr Mosielele said parents should always seek to know the whereabouts of their children especially when at night.

“If parents have problems managing their children they should please see us,” he said. ENDS