BRITS, North West — A campaign rally addressed by ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa in Brits was momentarily halted on Saturday after members of the Bapo ba Mogale Royal Family staged a protest over an unresolved chieftaincy dispute. The demonstration underscored mounting local frustration, with community leaders alleging that their persistent appeals for high-level intervention in the traditional leadership crisis have been systematically overlooked.
During the event, the President was directly approached by aggrieved royal relatives. Itumeleng Moerane, who was at the forefront of the confrontation, publicly voiced her disappointment, asserting that the President has failed the community. She emphasized that despite numerous pleas for assistance from both the President and the provincial government regarding the area’s chieftaincy matters, no meaningful action has been taken to resolve the deadlock.
The roots of this traditional leadership conflict extend back to 2016. During the administration of former North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo, the provincial government established a commission chaired by legal advocates to investigate the matter. The panel’s findings officially recognized Andrew Mogale as the rightful heir of the Bapo ba Mogale, paving the way for him to assume the leadership role at the time.
However, the designation did not bring lasting peace, as dissenting family members remained deeply opposed to the outcome. The disagreement eventually escalated to the judicial system. In its ruling, the court mandated that the provincial government must actively intervene by establishing a formal commission of inquiry. In compliance with the judicial order, the commission of inquiry was subsequently convened and held.
Despite the historical commissions and legal interventions, the sense of marginalization remains palpable among the dissenting faction. Moerane’s direct challenge to the President highlights the ongoing complexities of traditional governance in the North West, as the Bapo ba Mogale Royal Family continues to demand a definitive and equitable resolution to their leadership dispute.
