Africa-Press – Botswana. The kgotla system has been hailed as a platform where peace and stability flourished.
Speaking during the official opening a kgotla shelter in Dikwididi on Saturday, Bakgatla deputy chief, Kgosi Bana Sekai said from time immemorial the kgotla system had been an envy of many outsiders as it brought the tribes together and allowed people to air their views freely. Kgosi Sekai said the kgotla shelter stood out among many as a beacon of Setswana culture, where people gathered to make important decisions.
Kgosi Sekai said the construction of the shelter was an implementation of Kgosi Kgafela II’s instruction that all dikgotla shelters in his territory be grass thatched. He therefore, commended Dikwididi residents for obeying Kgosi Kgafela II’s word. Kgosi Sekai said grass thatching was a traditional way of roofing among Batswana, as such it should be preserved for generations to come.
He commended the residents of Dikwididi and Kgosi Letsebe Mpete for making sure that they build themselves a beautiful kgotla shelter. He prayed that all kgotla shelters especially those in Kgatleng be thatched to keep up the traditions of ‘our fathers’.
Kgosi Sekai praised Mr Kabelo Gulubane, the head of Architecture and Buildings department with Kgatleng District Council, who worked with the tribe throughout the project implementation and stood out as someone who truly understood what Bakgatla wanted.
When giving an overview of the project, Mr Gulubane said the project was scheduled to be built in the 2019/2020 financial year to a tune of P226 000, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He said the project was funded and undertaken through the Constituency Community Project.
He said after several meetings, they agreed on the plan to build and engaged local contractors who did a wonderful job. He explained that the construction started in May 2023 after consultations with kgosi, VDC and morafe and was completed in September 2024. Mr Gulubane asked the residents to take care of the shelter and avoid fire near it as the grass was highly flammable. He also asked them to set up lightening conductors to protect the grass from lightening.
In his welcome remarks, Kgosi Mpete said he was happy that at last, what they had requested was being delivered.
When giving the closing remarks, Member of Parliament for Kgatleng East, Mr Mabuse Pule said he was overjoyed that at last the kgotla shelter had been completed. He said when he joined politics, Dikwididi residents were among the first to complain about their old kgotla shelter and that they needed a new one.
Mr Pule said the Setswana kgotla system was the best in the world, adding that many applauded Botswana for such a public consultation forum where people were engaged on their own developments. He therefore, said it was important for the kgotla shelters to be accommodative for people to gather any time they wish. The MP thanked all the sponsors who contributed toward the official opening of the shelter.
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