Category: Educational

The principle of lobola (by whatever name it is called in different African languages)has been adhered to and practiced over the years and for generations across various cultures in Africa. However, like with other cultures, the situation today is that the emerging economic factors due largely to the influence of colonialism, have also over the years influenced these principle and practices.

Traditionally lobola was in terms of animals and property but has recently only taken the form of money because of the modern economy. Phillip Iya a Professor of African and Comparative Law at North West University (NWU) argues that the monetary system has now spoilt almost every aspect of the African cultural principle and practices of lobola because of the economic system.

“Modern life does not take into account the values of the African culture. It is a misinterpretation, misdirection of the African culture”, argues Prof  Iya, who refutes the misnomer that lobola is a business transaction or a bride price as considered by many writers and the general society. “Traditionally, lobola is not a business transaction. It is evidence of an appreciation, a way to say “thank you” and the best approach to understanding it to consider that it is really the appreciation of the handing over of the bride’s reproductive system, for perpetuation of the bridegroom’s family”.

While the latest South African statistics on marriage indicate that less people are getting married and there is more divorce than in the past, the question on everyone`s mind is whether  lobola is still relevant today or in the future of South Africa specifically and Africa in general. This is because today most people believe that the payment of lobola aids people`s perception of associating love with monetary value.

“My personal view is that lobola will still be practiced in the future particularly because of what we are doing now as IKS centre”, says Iya who further argues that since the South African Government has introduced the IKS Policy of 2004 which is an official recognition of the importance of Indigenous Knowledge Systems aimed at protecting, promoting and managing  knowledge of African values, this will promote, develop and bring people to understand more about our indigenous knowledge and indigenous values. “The more people begin to understand these values the more they will come to value our culture”, he says. Moreover, the South African Constitution makes a similar provision in sections 30 and 31

Created 13 March 2018

Updated 03 March 2020

Have you ever wondered why it takes one person half a day to prepare a meal while it takes only an hour for another to prepare the exact meal? Chef Andrew Manoto shares with us tips for less stress and saving time in the kitchen.

Currently a chef lecturer at Hotel School Mafikeng, Manoto attributes planning, being organised, preparation and keeping a clean working station as essential strategies for spending less time in the kitchen. “Know what you are going to cook, so that you can defrost your food on time. Peel your vegetables in advance so that they are ready in the morning”. “Know your kitchen very well, where you put everything. In the industry we use the term clean as you go. Meaning that every time you must clean as you work”, he says. Undoubtedly, most of us consider these as minor details but they can make a big difference if implemented.

The chef enlightens us that when you start cooking, particularly stew, there is no moisture, so it is important to cover the pot. However, when you realise that the stew is cooked and there is still excess water inside, you should simmer the stew, leaving an open lid in order to reduce the moisture. He swears that following this process will improve the quality of the taste while also thickening the stew. Letting the rabbit out of the hat, he asserts that “not allowing the moisture to escape is the reason why most pots burn at the bottom”.

The passionate chef dismisses the perception that cooking on maximum heat makes the food cook faster, as high heat hardens the food. He advises that it is better to simmer the food or cook on moderate heat even for stubborn dishes such as tribe.

Manoto who has over eighteen years of experience in the industry also shares few hygiene practices. He cautions against defrosting food outside of the refrigerator. “When you defrost in the sink or water you are losing nutrients and lowering the quality of the food”. “You might also develop food borne diseases, reason being that the food temperature will drop. It is very risky to expose food to room temperature for prolonged hours”, explains the chef. He suggests that the correct way of defrosting is to take food from the freezer and put in the fridge for the required time.

Written: 05 February 2018 Updated: 21 February 2020

Lately, more and more people are choosing cohabitation over marriage. Various reasons can account to this, such as financial constraints, to test for compatibility, fear of marriage in case it ends in divorce, while some simply do not believe in marriage. How many cohabitees have actually paused, to think of what will happen if the other partner dies?

There are speculations that if you live with a partner for a prolonged period and share children, you are entitled to part of his assets upon death. That is not according to the South African law, there is no default marriage. This implies that in the absence of a will, biological family of the deceased have a right over his assets and can evict the surviving partner from the house.

“One of the most common major protection measures that can be implemented is to do a will, whereby you can leave some of your assets to your partner upon death”, says a law expert Eric Morweng.

“There is a principle of universal partnership agreement. In this partnership agreement, both partners can contribute to the relationship. This way even without marriage they can equally benefit at the end of the relationship, depending on the terms and conditions of their partnership agreement”, says Morweng. He strongly recommends that when cohabitees find that the relationship is going well, that is the best time to start thinking about the future.

A News24 article by Bridget Siebert enlightens that universal partnership affords cohabitees to claim a share of assets acquired during the period of living together. However, being in a universal partnership does not mean that the parties involved enjoy automatic rights. When one of the partners dies without leaving a will the surviving partner does not automatically become the beneficiary. The surviving partner must prove to the court that he/she was indeed in this relationship and thus owed something.

In one scenario you find that a sister has also been contributing towards the renovations of the house and is not prepared to be kicked out without a fight. Currently the director of a Mafikeng based law firm Morweng Attorneys, Eric Morweng advices that in such instances the sister can approach the court to interdict them for kicking her out. He shares that this is not an easy process, as it can take time and can be very costly. Morweng says that in such an instance the person laying the claim has to produce visible evidence which proves that she has been paying some of the items of the house.

Written: 17 February 2018, Updated: 21 February 2020

The Department of Culture, Arts and Traditional Affairs is deeply saddened and shocked by the passing of Kgosi, Dr Lucas Manyane Mangope who was the leader of the Bahurutshe-Boo Manyane tribe in Motshwedi – North West Province.

We wake up with heavy hearts after receiving the sad news of the passing of Kgosi Manyane Mangope. Kgosi Mangope died on the 18th January 2018 and had just celebrated his 94th Birthday on the 27th of December 2017 in his home in Motswedi Village Lehurutshe.

He was the onetime President of the former Bophuthatswana Homeland and the founder of the United Christian Democratic Party (UCDP). Kgosi Manyane Mangope had recently relinquished his duties as the Kgosi of his clan and was succeeded by his son Conel Kwena Mangope.

We would like to convey our deepest condolences to the Mangope family, relatives, friends and the Bahurutshe who have lost an upright leader, a teacher, a great disciplinarian, an astute orator and a politician.

On 13 March 1994, Lucas Mangope was ousted as President of the homeland of Bophuthatswana.  Mangope came to power in Bophuthatswana in 1966 during the reign of former Prime Minister B J Vorster.  Mangope governed Bophuthatswana from 1977 until 1994.  His reign was characterised by widespread corruption and mismanagement.  Mangope was deposed in 1994 after he refused to allow free campaigning in Bophuthatswana as well as not wanting to take part in the general election that was to be held during that year. In December 1991, like other homeland leaders at the Codesa talks, Mangope attempted to present Bophuthatswana as a semi-independent territory, with the same status as the British protectorates of Swaziland and Lesotho.  This ploy failed to change the view of Bophuthatswana as an Apartheid sham state.  In March 1994, rioting broke out in Bophuthatswana and Mangope called in his erstwhile allies the Afrikaner Weerstand Beweging (AWB) to support his regime and thus prevent the homeland from collapsing.  This invasion failed and the South African Government in consultation with the African National Congress (ANC) ousted Mangope as leader of Bophuthatswana.

Additional reporting from the South African History Online (SAHO)