Chieftaincy disputes have divided the traditional leadership of the Batlhaping ba ga Mothibi, which reigns over 15 villages straddling both the North West and Northern Cape provinces.
Some members of the traditional leadership have questioned the legitimacy of Kgosi Ponatshego Mothibi, who was appointed in June 2016 as a Regent until the rightful heir, Kgosi Obakeng Mothibi is set to take over.
Those opposing her Regency claim that while her brother, Kgosi Kgosiemang Isaac Mothibi, was a member of the royal family, he had no legitimate boy child apart from Obakeng Mothibi who was born out of wedlock.
The main challenger to the throne, Kealeboga White Mothibi, says he has a legitimate claim to the chieftaincy because his father the late Kgosi George Kgama Mothibi was Chief.
“We are asking the government to tell us if they did not research first when they appointed my father as the Chief. We want to know as to why he is not being recognised as the Chief, instead, they went to appoint someone who comes from Modutung as the chief. We as the children of Kgosi Kgama Mothibe we need government or any political formation to help us.”
Some members of the Batlhaping ba ga Mothibi in Mmamutle village in Greater Taung also weighed in on the matter.
“I am a young person from the royal family and I don’t know where I belong. We want our chieftaincy back. For now, we don’t have a chief.”
“We are asking that the children of Kgosi George Mothibi take over the throne of their father so that we can have traditional leadership.”
“I lived here 1966, 8th July, George Mothibi was the chief, my heart is complaining because we want to know how he was dethroned. I know him as the chief.”
Be that as it may, it seems the legitimacy of George Kgama Mothibi’s chieftaincy has also been brought to question. According to the Chief Director for Traditional Affairs Simon Ruthoane, George Kgama Mothibi was suspended and later dethroned after it was revealed that he was not the rightful chief.
Ruthoane says Kgosi Kgosiemang Mothibi was consequently appointed and when he died his only son was set to ascend to the throne. Ruthoane explains that because Kgosiemang’s son Obakeng was still in school, his aunt Ponatshego was appointed Regent.
“The commission had finalized their report that proved that Kgsoi GK Mothibi is not the right chief, he was found guilty and the rightful chief was that of Kgosi Galeshewe, Kgosi Kgosiemang Isaac Mothibi took over and there was already a report from the commission and nobody never objected or challenged the report.”
It remains to be seen if the battle for the chieftaincy of the Batlhaping ba ga Mothibi will ever be brought to rest as the children of the late Kgosi George Khama Mothibi say they plan to seek legal recourse to prove their claim to the throne.
