02 Mar 2025

The Ministry of Local Government and Traditional Affairs will review the Bogosi and Customary Court acts with a view of giving prominence and potency to the role and stature of bogosi in a modern democracy.

The Bogosi Act defines bogosi as the institution of traditional leadership, with the kgosi as the central figure while customary courts have authority to apply customary law in specific civil and criminal cases depending on the nature of dispute and the parties involved.

Addressing Bobirwa district councillors on National Decentralisation Policy recently, Minister of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Mr Ketlhalefile Motshegwa said the review in question sought to accord more traditional responsibilities to dikgosi while simultaneously dignifying and strengthening offices held by the dikgosi.

He said post the review, dikgosi would play a significant role in running of the country especially in assuming responsibilities of resuscitating, watering and nurturing culture in order for Batswana to be able to identify with and recognise their cultures in the global space.

“As such, every village, tribe, region are expected to host cultural events that seek to revamp and celebrate their cultures,” said minister Motshegwa.

He said the responsibilities of dikgosi in a reviewed act would, amongst other things, help address the welfare of their people as was in the past. This, inter alia, would ensure that members of morafe or subjects would not be left to suffer the dire consequences of poverty.

“We’re also working on the national moral code which may assist in addressing the burning issues such as gender-based violence and other issues of moral degeneration,” the minister said.

On other issues, minister Motshegwa said government was promoting community-led development model where cooperatives, community trusts and village development committees (VDCs) would play some significant roles in the development of their communities.

“That is why we’re modernising the role of the community structures. For instance, we’ve taken a decision to halt election of VDC members so as to allow for review of VDC guidelines,” Mr Motshegwa said and added that the review intended on strengthening governance.

Strengthened governance, he said, would usher in responsibility and accountability in the operations of VDCs.

“The guideline will also guide VDCs into becoming entrepreneurial,” he said and added that VDCs should deal with community projects of their stature, and so should trusts and cooperatives.

The reviewed guidelines are expected end of March to necessitate elections of VDCs in the new financial year. Consequently, minister Motshegwa invited contributions from community leaders on how VDC guidelines could be enhanced to the benefit of communities.

He  also informed the councillors that cabinet had made an interim decision that Ipelegeng workers be paid an equivalent of the snack they had been enjoying while working in monetary terms.

“But going forward, the government has made a commitment through the manifesto that there will be transformation of Ipelegeng into public works programme,” he said.

Mr Motshegwa added that the transformation spells change of Ipelegeng in terms of the content and scope of projects they would undertake. Further, there will be skills empowerment in institutions such as brigades, vocational training institutions, so that beneficiaries are empowered with skills to carry out these projects. With the changes, the minister said public works programmes beneficiaries would then be paid P2 500.

“At the moment it is an ongoing exercise at the ministry. When completed the outcome and decision of the cabinet will be communicated,” he said.

The aim of the transformation into public works programme is for the ministries to engage graduates of the programme as it would greatly reduce on spending on a big contractors, the minister clarified. ENDS