Sebele II

Kelebantse Sebele II (1892 – 2 October 1939) was '' kgosi'' of the Kwena tribe in the Bechuanaland Protectorate (present-day Botswana). He succeeded his father, Sechele II, in 1918. Sebele quickly came into conflict with other members of his family and with the British colonial administration, which deemed him uncooperative and unstable.

Sebele was exiled by the colonial administration in 1931, in an effort led by the new resident commissioner Charles Rey. The administration accused Sebele of corruption and oppression of his people. Sebele's removal incited anger among the Bakwena, who continued to recognise him as the legitimate ''kgosi''. He was succeeded by his younger brother Kgari Sechele II, who was chosen by Rey despite not being next in the line of succession. Sebele's son Moruakgomo Sechele became a pretender, triggering a succession crisis in 1962.

Early life and family

Kelebantse Sebele was born in 1892 as the son of Sechele II, '' kgosi'' of the Kwena tribe. He was the younger brother of Padi and the elder brother of Tumagole, Kgari, Kgwanyakgwanyang, and Neale. Sebele attended the Tiger Kloof Educational Institute for one year. He moved to Witwatersrand in 1912, where he worked as a mining clerk until 1916. The following year, he enlisted in the South African Native Labour Corps and fought in France during World War I. Sebele took Tlhalefang as his senior wife.

''Kgosi'' of the Bakwena

Sebele became ''kgosi'' of the Bakwena on 12 February 1918. While the British colonial administration faced several ''dikgosi'' that they found insufficient, Sebele proved to be their greatest concern. Britain's resident commissioner expressed dismay over Sebele's succession, describing him as unstable and alcoholic to the high commissioner and requesting that his formal confirmation as ''kgosi'' be postponed. The confirmation was delayed indefinitely and still had not taken place by the time his tenure ended. Sebele was the first ''kgosi'' of the Bakwena who could read English.

Upon becoming ''kgosi'', Sebele inherited the opposition that had plagued his father. Sebele's uncles, Kebohula and Moiteelasilo, had split from the tribe and remained at Borakalalo when Sechele moved the tribe's capital to the neighbouring Ntsweng. Sebele developed a reputation among his opponents for being irresponsible as ''kgosi'', and he was also seen as unduly harsh, earning him the nickname ''kgoma ya tlhaba'' (). He resisted his advisors and councillors, wishing to avoid any delegation or curtailing of his powers.

The greatest point of contention under Sebele's reign was religion. The London Missionary Society, which held influence over many Bakwena headmen, objected to several practices that were permitted by the Bakwena. Sebele's father had already allowed Anglicanism to be practiced by the Bakwena, challenging the London Missionary Society's monopoly on Christianity in Botswana, and he reversed the tribe's rules against polygyny, rainmaking, and '' bogwera''. Sebele angered the London Missionary Society further by allowing circumcision. Sebele's opponents lambasted him as a reactionary and a neotraditionalist. The headmen also had personal reasons for opposing Sechele and Sebele, who had allowed the promotions of junior tribal headmen and even commoners as advisors over senior headmen. This in itself was a response to the London Missionary Society's hold over the senior headmen. During a period in 1925, Sebele temporarily stepped away from his duties, and Kebohula served as acting ''kgosi''. The colonial administration found Kebohula to be more responsible and more cooperative. A dispute between the two occurred in 1927 when Sebele accused Kebohula of witchcraft. Three days of deliberation ended with a decision to banish Kebohula from the tribe, but the colonial administration overruled the decision. It then passed a proclamation banning both attempts to use witchcraft and making accusations of witchcraft.

Sebele's ascension marked the beginning of reduced trade between the Bakwena and the peoples of the Kalahari Desert, and the colonial administration blamed Sebele for their reduced influence in the region over the following years. Contact was lost entirely with the village Tsetseng. It was not restored until 1940, when the colonial administration declared that it had rediscovered the village and re-incorporated it. Sebele resented the control that the British Empire exercised over the tribe. He was one of the ''dikgosi'' involved with efforts to limit British power over the Bechuanaland Protectorate in 1927 along with Tshekedi Khama, and the colonial administration feared that they were gaining influence over other ''dikgosi'', Bathoen II and Molefi.

Infrastructure was a major focus for Sebele during his reign. He set standardised building requirements, had landfills installed, ordered the use of graveyards, and oversaw the creation of roads and a British hospital. He was an advocate for community events, and he sometimes attended events to sing and play the piano. Sebele took a second wife, a Coloured woman named Susan Wolf, whom he married in 1928. He took a third fiancee, Senwelo-a-Jacoba, but they never wed. The colonial administration was unsatisfied with his oversight of the hut tax, feeling that he was not doing enough to enforce its payment. The administration assumed responsibility for its collection in 1929. Sebele also angered the colonial administration whe he resisted its efforts to exempt Europeans from tribal law.

Removal

The colonial administration began planning the removal of Sebele as early as 1921, but chose to wait until enough of the population would support such action, as he remained popular among commoners. Sebele's advisors—many of whom were his uncles and cousins—filed complaints against him to the administration, but they remained a minority at the time. Such complaints were filed in numerous times throughout the 1920s, but each time it was determined that his popularity among commoners prevented removal. Charles Rey became resident commissioner in 1930 and decided that he would have Sebele removed. Rey complained that Sebele was corrupt, refusing to preside over disputes or settling them based on favouritism and bribery. He described Sebele as "a drunken dissolute ruffian" and said that he expected he would "have to depose him before long". The local magistrate Howard Neale advised Rey that the native peoples were fatalists and would accept any change in leadership imposed by the administration. This later proved incorrect.

Rey received authorisation from the high commissioner to depose Sebele in October 1930, but this was overruled by the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs that December. Rey found a pretext to remove Sebele in March 1931, when he had the tribe commence the traditional '' bogwera'' initiation ceremony. This rite of passage was considered anti-Christian, and its practice was seen as a direct rejection of the administration's authority. Rey's description of the events, which he had exaggerated to suggest participation was coerced, convinced the dominion affairs secretary to allow for Sebele's removal. The order to remove Sebele was given on 7 May 1931.

The administration chose to remove Sebele from the area before deposing him to avoid a risk of revolt by the Bakwena. Sebele, Kebohula, and Moiteelasilo were summoned to Mafeking, ostensibly to discuss regional water policy. They arrived on 2 June 1931, at which point Sebele was informed that he was to be banished to Ghanzi, while Kebohula and Moiteelasilo would serve on an interim council. Sebele was not afforded a trial and complained that he had not received the due process he was entitled to under the colonial law. The official reasons given for his removal were "the embezzlement of £200 hut tax; his oppression and misrule of Bakwena; corruption in kgotla cases; seduction of the daughter of Corporal Moses; the assault of his principal wife Tlhalefang; and neglect of his duties". Sebele left in exile on 10 June. Before leaving, he reportedly sent a message to his people reading "''Retlasetswe''", meaning that the tribe has been attacked or invaded. This later became a common refrain in demanding his return. Rey hoped that the removal would make an example of Sebele and discourage resistance from other ''dikgosi''. In effect, it emboldened their resistance.

The Bakwena were outraged by Sebele's removal. Kebohula, Moiteelasilo, and their police escort were pelted with stones upon returning to Ntsweng. Rey organised a meeting of two thousand Bakwena in Molepolole on 10 June where Sebele's successor was appointed. No one here was allowed to speak Sebele's name. Rey decided to skip the line of succession and appointed Sebele's younger brother Kgari as acting ''kgosi''. The people are said to have stood or raised their hands upon Kgari's appointment, which Rey argued was an indication of their support. The meeting was interrupted only once, by a man who earned cheers from the crowd when demanding Sebele's return.

Exile and succession

Tribes in Bechuanaland and South Africa expressed their support for Sebele, demanding his return and raising legal funds. Sebele reportedly contacted several ''dikgosi'' to seek their assistance. The colonial administration's official position was that it had not initiated Sebele's removal and that its only involvement was to facilitate support of an internal uprising. The colonial administration was careful when describing the events not to use the word "deposed", instead saying that Sebele was "relieved of his functions". Historian Jeff Ramsay described Sebele's reign and subsequent removal as the point that the Bakwena began declining in influence.

Sebele was still considered the rightful chief by the Bakwena while he was in exile, and many continued to demand his return. As resistance continued, Rey organised a ceremony to crown Kgari as the official ''kgosi'' on 1 September 1931, hoping to legitimise his rule. Complicating the succession was that Sebele had never been formally removed from the position, only exiled. Sebele's supporters, the BoSebele, submitted the Great Petition to the colonial administration on 6 March 1933, demanding that Sebele be returned and his right to due process be recognised. The petition had approximately 1,400 signatories, in contrast to the previous petitions that had been submitted against his rule, which had never accumulated more than 25 signatures. Bathoen II and Tshekedi also managed to have the issue brought before the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. Over time, the BoSebele began facing fines, unemployment, and arrest.

Sebele was popular among the people in Ghanzi, to the point that white residents feared his influence. He believed that he had not truly been banished, because he was still in the country, while the British were not. Sebele had his first son, Moruakgomo Sechele, in 1934 with his wife Susan. He later had a second son, Mokgalagadi, also with Susan. Kgari privately acknowledged that Sebele was the legitimate chief and resisted efforts to bring about his return, rejecting an offer by Sebele to formally abdicate in exchange for an end to his exile in 1938.

Sebele died on 2 October 1939, and his body was returned to Molepolole. Sebele's removal fostered doubt about the Bakwena line of succession that continued for generations after his death. His death added legitimacy to Kgari's rule, but Moruakgomo became a pretender who saw support from many who still rejected Kgari. Supporters of Bonewamang Padi Sechele, another pretender, insisted that Susan never formally wed Sebele, which would make Moruakgomo illegitimate. Moruakgomo and Bonewamang were the subjects of a succession dispute after Kgari's death in 1962, which led to Sebele's brother Neale being chosen as ''kgosi''.

Notes

References

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* {{Cite journal , last=Schapera , first=Isaac , year=1952 , title=Sorcery and Witchraft in Bechuanaland , url=https://academic.oup.com/afraf/article/113069/Sorcery , journal=African Affairs , language=en , volume=51 , issue=202 , pages=41–52 , doi=10.1093/oxfordjournals.afraf.a094038 , issn=1468-2621

1892 births
1939 deaths
Kwena chiefs
Dethroned monarchs