KURUMAN

Victor Mulangisi

A group of concerned community members, led by an ex-traditional council office member, Mr Nelson Hantise, planned to close the Baga-Motlhware traditional office in Batlharos on 20 April 2026.

However, police intervention at SAPS Batlharos police station turned the unpleasant situation into a marathon meeting with the concerned group. Whether the meeting resolved the tensions still remains to be seen.

Another meeting was scheduled for 21 April 2026 with the district manager of COGHSTA Mr Thabisho Cogang, then the following day a meeting with Chief Pelonomi Toto, who is at the centre of controversy. 

The concerned community members want the current chief out. There is growing concerns making the rounds that, while Chief Pelonomi Toto belongs to the royal family, she is very far, if not excluded, from the succession queue because of several reasons laid on the table and is therefore viewed as being opportunistic.

Allegedly, the concerned community members have family background information indicating someone else who should have taken the reins. While the flawed handling of community issues has triggered the royal vendetta, those behind the uproar demanding the chief relinquished her duties have unpacked hidden skeletons in the process, which are yet to be proven.

A letter dated 30 October 2025 sent to the Kathu Gazette outlines, in brief, the line of ascendancy to the chieftaincy and lends credence to the resolution passed by the royal family members, bearing the signatures of Ohentse Toto in South Africa and Albertus Phemelo in Namibia, the key architects of the chieftaincy.

The community has been communicating with both regional and provincial authorities to seek a peaceful settlement, but the responses have been either evasive or slow. Here follows an excerpt of the letter sent to the Kathu Gazette :

This is to formally document the resolution passed by the royal family members. Resolution : It was unanimously resolved that the rightful heir to the throne of Kgosi Kgolo Makgolokwe Toto must assume his position as Kgosi Kgolo ya Ba Ga Motlharo. Details of the Resolution : Kgosi Moraladi was succeeded by Kgosi Kgangyamotse, who passed on in 2002. Between 2002 and 2005, Kgosi Makgolokwe served as regent because Kgosi Kagiso was a minor. In 2005, Kgosi Kagiso was to take his position as Kgosi Kgolo ya Batlharo. Kgosi Kagiso died in 2010. In 2012, Kgosi Kgolo Pelonomi succeeded Kgosi Kagiso and has held the position since.

According to the customary laws of the country, the firstborn of the first wife is the one who has to sit on the throne. According to the family tree, Kgosi Kgolo Makgolokwe Toto had 4 children, 3 boys and 1 girl. His first son is Robanyane the first, Makgolokwe, Molobane, and lastly a girl child called Makgosi or Magoromente.

Robanyane, the first, begot a son called Phemelo. During the 1897 Langerberg Rebellion, Phemelo fled to Namibia, where he started his own family. According to the family tree, his son Kgosi Phemelo is the rightful heir to the throne. No one in the family disputes the fact that Kgosi Phemelo is the rightful heir to the throne

According to customary law, the kgosi is seated on the throne by the Royal family members and the community. In the case of Kgosi Kgolo Pelonomi, the Royal family did not assign her as the next in line for the seat of the throne of Kgosi Kgolo Makgolokwe Toto. The decision to assign her the seat was challenged since 2010; in fact, the dispute over the rightful heir to the throne began with Kgosi Kgolo Kagiso in 2005. It has been [21] years since the dispute started and the royal family has now reached a resolution to dethrone Kgosi Kgolo Pelonomi and place Kgosi Kgolo Phemelo in his rightful position.”