Ga-Sekgopo residents say they could boycott the elections over Premier Stan Mathabatha’s alleged refusal to sign off on the Kgatla Commission on Traditional Leadership’s recommendations on the village’s chieftainship.
They’ve been protesting over demands that the village’s regent Kgosikgadi Mokgadi Sekgopo be removed and replaced by her stepson, William Matsorang.
In 2018, Mathabatha released a report from the commission, which outlined the Sekgopo Royal family lineage.
It recommended Matsorang’s claim for restoration on the throne be granted.
Below the recommendation, the report bears a hand-written paragraph, with Premier Mathabatha’s signature.
The paragraph states that Kgosikgadi Sekgopo had not been contested, and should remain on the throne.
Community leader Fifi Makoti explains, “The very same commission that Premier instituted came back with the same recommendations as the other previous commissions, now what else do they want? Why would all the commissions of inquiry, five of them come to the same conclusion? We wanted the people of Limpopo to know and to realise what type of a leader they have because she should not have taken sides here.”
“The way Stanley Mathabatha is treating people at Ga-Sekgopo; he’s treating them like they can win elections without them. We are having a court appearance … we don’t know when they come back from court what will be the reaction,” adds Makoti
Meanwhile, Mathabatha’s spokesperson Kenny Mathivha says people should use the courts rather than embark on violent protests.
“The closing of schools, the closing of roads will not solve the problem. If we do that then the police have to do their job. We are calling upon the communities of Ga-Sekgopo, if they are not happy, let them go to the highest court. It will make a decision,” explains Mathivha.
