Bapedi Ba Sekhukhune community wants new king

Members of the Bapedi Ba Sekhukhune community marched to the Office of the Premier on Friday demanding, among others, the coronation of King Thulare III with immediate effect.
The group wants Thulare to replace Kenneth Kgaudi Sekhukhune III who has been acting as the king since 1975.
The organiser of the march, Derick Mosoana, said Premier Stan Mathabatha had failed the Bapedi community since being appointed as Premier five years ago.

“He has failed in bringing justice to the Bapedi Kingdom. We want the Premier to remove Kgaudi Sekhukhune because he was wrongfully appointed as the King of Bapedi in 1975, and when the rightful heir to the throne, late Rhyne Thulare Sekhukhune the third reclaimed his position, a dispute, which protracted from late 1980s to date, arose, despite the release of the Nhlapho Commission’s report in 2010,” Mosoana said.
He also said that they want Mathabatha to review the appointments of the acting traditional leaders every 12 months.”
Section 14(2)(b) of the Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Act 41 of 2003 provides that an acting appointment in terms of subsection (1) must be made in accordance with provincial legislation which must at east provide for a review of the acting appointment on a regular basis,” Mosoana pointed out.
Provincial Government spokesperson, Phuti Seloba said the concerns raised by the group had been noted and would be responded to.

Story & photos: Herbert Rachuene
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