CHIEFTAINCY DISPUTE REPORT WITH MODISE

Premier has 60 days to end long-running succession row

NORTH West premier Thandi Modise has up to 60 days to study a report that will determine the end of the long-running succession dispute over the chieftaincy of Bahurutshe Ba Moiloa in Dinokana outside Zeerust.

On Friday Modise received the chieftaincy dispute report from the provincial committee on traditional leadership.

Since the death of Kgosi Monnamere Monnamere Godfrey Moiloa in 2007 there have been a number of court cases regarding the appointment of the rightful heir.

The dispute between a group call- ing itself the Monneng Royal Council and the royal family has fuelled anger in the community.

The Monneng Royal Council supports the installation of Ketshabile Moiloa as regent and the royal family consider Kebusitse Moiloa as the rightful heir to the throne,

After Moiloa’s death, the Monneng Royal Council applied to the North West High Court for the installation of Ketshabile Moiloa as regent.

The court granted an order to that effect.

Meanwhile, the royal family considers Kebusitse Moiloa, the late Kgosi Moiloa’s son, as the rightful heir to his father’s throne.

In an effort to resolve the dispute, the provincial government in 2008 appointed the Zulman Commission, chaired by retired Judge Ralph Zulman, to investigate and make recommendations as to who the rightful heir to the Moiloa chieftaincy was.

To restore stability to the family and the community, the commission was tasked to investigate and determine, among other things, which members of the family were authorised to deliberate on the matter of succession.

Receiving the report from the chairman of the provincial committee, commissioner Joe Mafereka, Modise highlighted that the provincial government has never had an interest in or a preference for any of the parties involved.

Meanwhile, Modise is scheduled to meet with the committee today to pronounce on the recommendations in its report on 102 traditional leadership disputes.

The report was received by Modise from the committee two months ago. –