KGOSI MOSADI SPEAKS
Land case caused her ill-health Tribe convinced land board is doing that because their Kgosi is a woman
Balete Kgosi, Mosadi Seboko sighs with relief and is hopeful that the status quo will not change in the case in which Bamalete Land Board wanted to relieve the Morafe of the remaining portion of Forest Hill farm 9-KO.
To her this case brought nothing else, but discomfort and ill-health. On two occasions her life deteriorated when she was served with summons but she stood the test of time leading her tribe from the front to ensure they protect what belongs to them.
The judgement of a full bench of the high court last Friday declaring that the farm belongs to Morafe was all she needed.
In an exclusive interview, Kgosi Seboko revealed that this was a very demanding task especially after being served with court papers as one had to read voluminous court documents as well as her affidavits to ensure that what is captured is the exact information.
She said they were duty-bound to have consultation meetings among themselves as the leadership as well as with Morafe.
During the consultation, there were members of Morafe who felt and or suspected that the Land Board acted the way they did because she was a woman.
“Ee go ne go etla go nna le maikutlo a gore a tota mme a selo se ga gore se nna jaana ka gore re busiwa ke Kgosi ya mme? Bangwe ebile bane ba belaetsa gore a ke kgokgontsho yame ka gore ke mme.
“Dilo tse di ne di tlela baga Malete mo ditlhaloganyong, mme e bile gompieno pele ga reya ko Kgotla tshekelo ba ile ba supa gape mo Kgotleng”.
Morafe’s suspicions placed her between a rock and a hard place as she had to rise above all else to cool the flaring tempers of those who accused the land board of undermining her authority.
“The land board’s decision brought so much pain to me, as I asked myself questions like what legacy will I leave for the Morafe subsequent to my passing on?
“I often asked myself whether Morafe does not think that I have failed them as their Kgosi
because had I not come in as a woman, then maybe the land board will not have bothered with our farm”.
But she quickly ruled out that possibility because she is among Dikgosi and leadership of this country tasked with leading the nation to fight GBV issues in Botswana.
“I for one have been given a decision-making role as I was a member of the Gender Commission which speaks to issues of equality between a male and female, but I believe that I am doing well because I have been informed that the wish of the country’s leadership is to allow me to continue serving in the committee”.
Kgosi Seboko said recently in parliament there was a debate on GBV, and she was chosen among the men and women appointed to lead in the fight against GBV.
Among others, their task is to demonstrate the equality between men and women because this is where the problem might be coming from. They are also to ensure that not all men look down on women even though at times they are painted with the same brush.
“Even the male fraternity here in Gamalete territory are highly involved in the fight against GBV hence my decision to quell the thinking down on those who thought the move might be a kind of GBV-related issue”.
Her wish is that even those who will succeed her will continue preserving property that belongs to
“It is my belief that it will continue this way, even those who will bring innovative ideas will be doing it in such a way that the use will still benefit Morafe in whatever way so much that our visionary fathers who bought this farm will be happy to see their legacy continuing to eternity”.
Seboko said they are fully aware that there are all sorts of people who are entertaining ideas about their farm, some of whom want to acquire it for profit making. According to Seboko, some have also suggested that the land be divided into plots and be allocated.
“We know it will not be easy, but the land is just too small to accommodate all in terms of whom to allocate. This means as leadership we must think thoroughly on how the farm will best benefit its rightful owners being the Morafe”.
Kgosi Seboko acknowledged that the judgement states that the president may under the Acquisition of Property Act, approach the Morafe regarding the land.
“We believe that if this farm is needed for national development, then, there is no way in which we can refuse”, Seboko said.
She noted that while the Tribal Land Act states that every Motswana has a right to apply for a plot anywhere in Botswana their territory appears to be attracting many people because of its vicinity to the city.
“This is worrying us, but all must understand that Balete do not have grazing land nor farming land”, Seboko said, adding that the question that “we want addressed is if we give all our grazing land what will we do to small farmers who have fewer than 10 heads of cattle as their source of livelihood”?