photo of person from Lesotho the maluti mountains
lesotho
 
GLOSSARY
Lesotho glossary

Khethisa

(LESOTHO 24)

Sex

Male

Age

40

Occupation

lethuela (traditional doctor)

Location

Maetsisa

Date

L

 

transcript

Section 1
What is your name, sir?
I am Khethisa...

Leteka, who resides here?
An inhabitant here at Molika-liko, here at the village of Mapoteng.
Yes, here at Maetsisa

Ok, sir, were you born right here?
I was born right here, sir.

Yes, sir. Let us give you an opportunity to listen to what we have just been saying.

For a start, perhaps, let us speak about your family, that is to say how many you are in your family?
Oh! Here in my family we are strictly speaking eight in number. There are six girls and then four boys. No, we are nine indeed.

Yes, sir, where do you rank among these?
Among the boys I am the third. But, when I include the girls, I am the eighth.

You are the eighth?
No, I am the seventh.

Oh! Do you have children?
Yes sir.

How many are they?
Eight are my children. However, there are six living.

What happened to the two? They passed away in...?
They had fallen sick.

Are they still young?
Yes sir.

Eh! How have you married your wife?
Meaning what precisely?
Section 2
Meaning whether you eloped or...?
Oh! Not at all. She was asked for (betrothed).

Oh! She was betrothed.
Yes sir.

Then what was done? Please explain to me the whole marriage process.
She was asked for [by my parents from her parents]. After she was betrothed, no wedding ceremony took place. She was simply asked for according to a Sesotho tradition. Following her betrothal, we, as young men of marrying age were then called upon to visit the home of the young woman. When we came to her home, we were given the young woman. Then indeed, the young woman having been given, we talked a bit with her, consequent to which, the following day, she was then fetched [to my home] by married women.

Oh! You left her behind and the following day...
She came with married women.

Were you already acquainted with her before you moved that she be asked for?
Yes, she was a person I already knew.

Oh! Did you discuss the matter with your parents? Or did you rather follow that traditional practice of over-turning the big clay pot [containing milk] as a persuasion to them to go and ask for her for your sake?
I told my father to go and ask for her for my sake.

Oh! Were you already working?
No, I was not working yet. Our sole work was looking after the animals, I was herding animals.

I understand sir. How old are your children?
They are grown ups sir. Some are young men of marrying age, others are young women who are away at school.

Are there not any of them married yet?
No, none has been married yet, all of them are still here in the family.

Are they still attending school?
Yes sir.

All of them?
Yes sir. That is, two are not attending school they are herd boys.

I understand sir. Now about your elder brother and your sisters. What are they doing?
Well, they, in a similar manner are people who are just using it (?). But wherefore sir?

That is to say, how do they live? What is it they are doing? Where are their residences?
Oh! One of my elder brothers is in Maseru, the other is right across from here. That is as far as the boys are concerned. Now, another one...or two rather, are in Maseru. Another is at Koporale’s. As for me you see I am here.
Section 3
Well, it is clear sir. What are those in Maseru doing?
They work in a mine.

Oh. They however have their residences in Maseru?
Yes, they have their residences in Maseru. They live right there by way of being employed by the whites.

Sir?
By way if being employed by the whites. There is no farming where they stay. Now I, and the one who is with me here...

You still have fields, which you cultivate?
Yes sir.

How are the crops in the fields?
Indeed, at this point in time we have no worry at all.

You are still able to fill your stomachs well?
Well, we continue to live fairly well.

Don’t you plant cannabis also?
We plant it also.

Now is it the thing that actually boosts your living standards?
Not exactly. Even these field crops maize, wheat, peas, and others we are able to have in abundance. We are to sell these during the months when there is no food.

As indeed the soil here seems quite fertile. It is nicely green all around. Even when one walks around one sees fertile soil.
Yes sir, Indeed we are able thus to sell. This is the way in which we live. Besides this, there is wool and mohair. Further, there is the selling of animals which one may have to do when there are either some difficulties or even in their absence. When one wants to raise some money for the family. The selling of some of the animals becomes useful.

Do you have sizeable herds or flocks of animals?
No sir, it is not so encouraging. The only thing is that if I have ten animals, which I give, time to breed, I am able to select two or three [for sale] for my livelihood.

Oh! Indeed. It is understood. Are your parents still alive?
Yes sir. It is my mother who is still alive. My father passed away this very year, which is towards its end.

Is you mother quite advanced in age?
Yes sir.
Section 4
Now do you ever visit other villages that are close to this one?
Yes sir, I normally go to other villages which neighbour this one. What I usually find if that they indeed also live by farming. Actually I should say that right from here extending to those upper regions most of the people sell food.

Because of the obvious fertility of this locality?
Yes sir. As for the villages in those upper regions, they usually sell their livestock and also this crop farming. That is, if perhaps they have been successful - when the year has been good - then they can sell their grain to the extent possible.

Well, sir could you tell me about your growing up? That is what things you used to do when you grew up? Who your companions were as you grew up and what your occupations were? What were your games? Were you herding livestock? Such things.
Yes sir, I can tell you. During our growing up, that is myself and those I grew up with, we were herd boys. In our so herding livestock, we used to milk the cows in the pastureland during the day and we drunk the milk. We would simply suck them (the cows) as they went about. Besides this, I think indeed that our other activities included digging out edible roots of some wild plants such as montsokoane, tsoetta, and mputsoe. In this way we keep living fairly well or even by eating monakalali. Apart from this, we would mould clay cattle. As boys, we would also stay at the cattle post since we indeed were unable because of our looking after the livestock to receive any proper schooling as such.

Yes sir.
Yes sir, then from there, there is no other way.

Now, those things, which you say you used to eat out in the pastureland when you grew up, those roots of wild plants, are they available even today?
Yes sir, they are still available.

Are they still abundant?
Yes, they are still abundant.

Do boys still eat them? Or they no longer know them?
Yes those who know them still eat them definitely there are yet some that know them and continue to eat them. That means those who are in this part, say from Likaleng to further beyond, still know them.

Yes sir. Have you been to the initiation school?
Yes sir.

Can you tell me whatever is possible for you to tell about what relates to initiation, such things as what formerly used to be done when one was to go to the initiation school.
According to Sesotho custom when a boy is big enough to be taught the customs, that is to say to be formally introduced to the peculiar practices of his Basotho people, traditional beer is brewed. Now once the beer has been brewed, this boy is taken to khotta (hut where only men and boys spend their evenings, close to the cattle kraal – livestock enclosure) where he is going to be circumcised. When he later returns home, perhaps in the evening along with the cattle, he comes back home with the cattle. Besides that, on the day they have to go and commence their course at the initiation hut, they will be recalled home. It ends there.
Section 5
In the matter of fees, how much was being paid?
Oh! Regarding fees in the past there was indeed no charge because being circumcised cost a shilling. The explanation was that the one shilling served to give light to the medicine. Yes in the second part there was no payment at all made to the person termed the doctor or the owner [of the initiation school], that is the one who pronounced himself to be holding this Sesotho church. He was provided with a bull only, with which he would perform the ceremony over these children. He would then only have had light put on for him, his medicine would have had the light put on for it by the parents of the children (the initiates). It would then be said to him: “Man, if your food is going to be adequate to feed these children, perhaps we too shall find it within our means to assist you.”

Was this bull provided to him jointly by the parents who had brought their children for the initiation?
Yes it was given to him jointly so that he in turn would be able to say that to the person he had sought to doctor the boys: “Here is the bull. Now the children’s parents say that you should use it to doctor their children”. It does seem therefore that even if it came from one person, they as Basotho knew that they would join hands elsewhere so as to ensure their cooperation in providing the one beast required for undertaking the work. Thus the children would have each made some contribution. After that, one might contribute two or more measures of grain food.

In your view, does this continue to be done even nowadays when boys are being initiated? Or what other practice do you now observe?
It seems to me that presently the fees have gone up considerably because the Basotho have progressed. My observation is that they are no longer where our grandfathers used to be. They now simply consider what you have in hand. If you are well-to-do, he will charge you one hundred and something.
Perhaps that is a charge just for the scarification. After this you will probably be charged a further two hundred rands, explanation being that it is for firewood. Or perhaps, if a child has joined the initiation without parental arrangement, it being however proper for him to so get into the Basotho kholta (court), for there is nowhere else he can go except to that lekholta. Then for those reasons, it usually turns out that he joins the initiation ceremony without parental arrangement. When he has done that, you the parent are charged one hundred for that unarranged joining of the ceremony. Following that, you still have to provide one grain bag as food.

So, it has now become rather expensive?
It is now expensive. And after I thus pay, what have I left at all for the family? There is nothing. Especially since we are unemployed. Perhaps I can expect to take a bag of maize and sell it to raise some money with which to provide for the children. But if the bag of maize is not there, then there is a problem.
Section 6
For now you will have taken it (the bag of maize) there, if the boy went to the initiation school without your arrangement. Is there however in this village a continuing practice of initiation schools?
Yes sir. Even right now there are boys at an initiation school.

Is this initiation for girls as well as for boys?
Yes sir.

I follow sir. Let us talk about these things of yours these beads of yours, regarding how you became thus. What happened?
Oh! Regarding these beads, I fell very sick while I was still a boy. According to what my parents told me after I recuperated, my sickness had started when I fell. Although boys are reputed to be fond of running, to chase birds around, I had simply fallen and in thus falling, I broke my right arm. After that I fell once again and broke my leg. Even then, the leg healed too and I lived. I then became sick with a headache. The head swelled and became thus big [demonstrated by open hands]. After that I then showed signs of an insane person. Following this a doctor was indeed shown to me. Indeed I went to this doctor and he really did everything for me as I had been shown and that he should treat me. Indeed until he treated me well, I survived. Here I am.

Wouldn’t you tell me a little more about his treatment? That is, what he actually did. What did he do?
Well sir, I may relate that. He used a goat only. He used a goat and then gave me some medicine, which I drank. With this goat he purified me. That is to say in the manner of taking the bile... that way. Yes, the bile was taken and I was treated with it. Yes, in a Sesotho way, hands were laid on me. After that he then gave me some medicine. My father provided a second goat. Now that one was handled in accordance with the sethuela (psychological ailment whose sufferers often function as traditional doctors) practices. And then, its meat was taken from the shoulder. It was roasted and I ate it.

From which shoulder is it taken? Or does that not matter?
My observation is that the side of the shoulder does not matter, because the meat was simply taken.

I want to inquire thus precisely because you have indicated how this goat was “handled in accordance with the sethuela practices”. Exactly what was done to it? Or is that a secret?
This goat I cannot that is to say I may not explain to you too well because I know that you are going to publish this information. It was handled in a sethuela way as far as I observed. When I say that some piece of meat was sliced off and roasted, truly it is enough of me to have gone that far.
Section 7
Well, let me thank you sir.
In a sethuela way then I was indeed well treated and I was able to find myself fairly well. No, I have never had any other problems similar to those I had earlier.

You do up to now feel pretty well?
Indeed sir, I still feel quite well. Except of course illness which perhaps...

Attacks each and every person.
Yes, sir.


When you were given these beads were you already from the initiation school, or was it before you went there?
Well, it was before I went to the initiation school.

Oh! Since you do indicate that it was when you were yet young, when you were sick.
Yes, sir.

Is there perhaps any other matter you would like to tell me about your life, after which we shall be able maybe to talk about the life in this village? About your life and that of your parents family?
No, I do not quite see what is could be.

Something perhaps about which you felt you wanted to talk about but which I have not asked you about?
I suppose another kind of life about which we may talk is that here, sir, I do not see any... that is, there is just one kind of life open to me here. It is this very life of mine, the life of beads only.
It is perhaps that of digging, if I dig medicinal herbs for people. Apart from this, I just live by farming the land. When we have had a good harvest, I am able to take a bag [of grain] and sell it to someone.

Yes let us now talk about this matter of medical practice, namely whether there are really many people for you to serve in the village.
Yes sir, Indeed I am still able to serve them. Very much, indeed I continue to serve them.

What kind of problems do they bring?
Yes, their problems are multifarious. They are those of falling; for others it is the sickness of insanity; others are those whose problem is swallowing of poisoned food; for others the problem is that of dreams and other things. Now, it seems to me that this completes it.

Yes, do you then usually doctor them in a sethuela way?
Yes sir, I usually treat them in the sethuela way. Not, however, because they are mathuela (?). I usually doctor them in this manner.
Section 8
Do you too use a goat?
No, when they are like that, when he does not have any visions which we may say have been presented to him by his gods, I do not use a goat; I use medicine only.

When he just comes without saying that he had some vision, but only because he has some problems, do you make use of the medical herbs you dig from out in the country?
Yes, from right here from here at Molika-liko.

Are they still abundant?
Yes, they are quite abundant indeed.

I follow sir, now let us pass on to the village, namely what you have observed from your early youth to be the lifestyle of the people in this village, like you have earlier indicated that they depend on farming.
Yes indeed, well most of the people in this village as I have noticed from a long time ago while I was growing up, really depend on farming alone for their livelihood. Their farming is like this. It is mainly maize grown in the fields upon which the people in this valley live. Apart from this it is cannabis. They really just live in this very manner only. It has been so since a long time ago up to now.

Are there ever any traditional feasts in this village?
Of what kind? Such as those of placating the ancestors perhaps?

Yes, those of placating the ancestral spirits, or any other.
Yes sir, such feasts are held at times.

Yes, what kinds are usually held? It is the feasts of placating ancestral spirits and...?
It is the placating of ancestral spirits and mokhibo (Basotho women’s dance).

Kneeling dances do get performed?
Yes, even concerts of frolic songs are sometimes held.

What about men’s feasts such as mohobelo (Basotho men’s dance)?
Yes, some do sometimes hold such feasts.

Would a feast be held merely for the sake of dancing? Is there any brewing of traditional beer and the cooking of meats?
Yes sir, that is what is usually done if anything is slaughtered... I have noticed that they tend to buy things like frozen chicken there or... but a person who is able purchases a beast to add thereto.

He slaughters a small beast and the feast continues. Now, when you compare things like these with what was done when you were growing up, would you say they are diminishing or they remain the same? That is the kind of feasts?
In this matter really, I wouldn’t be telling the truth. Things remain the same as I knew them.
Section 9
There are not many changes. Regarding your pastures, how are they?
Pastures are really very scarce because of the fields. There are now more fields and our pastures have been much reduced. In addition, our land has deteriorated from what we know it to be.

While I state it to be beautiful?
Well, because of the grass. In fact I usually feel that is we even fear to speak because also in our professions people like myself it really helps us to earn a living in an undoubted manner. Because the roots, which in localities like the Free State, are obtained from distant places, here in this area they are available. Further, when as a community working together, say right here we also view these things jointly, that is to say when we consider the matter of wild herbs, our problem is that of khonathi. We know that it is hardly found here in Lesotho (the lowlands), but here at Molika-liko it is available. May it not be...

What you are talking about is... I did not hear what you called it.
I said that we know how khonathi was, here in Lesotho, possible to find only a long time ago. Perhaps it is no longer found because it was dug out quite unsparingly. Probably this is so for other [herbs] known for their usefulness. These seem to have completely disappeared from Lesotho while they can still be found here at Molika-liko. A person simply proceeds into the veld to dig out this edible root if only he knows it.

Please explain to me what khonathi is.
Yes sir, I am saying khonathi is found here at Molika-liko.

I was saying you should explain to me what khonathi is.
Oh! It is an edible root.

Is it just an edible root.
It is an edible root, which is used as a medicine. That is to say it is a pitsa (herbal medical treatment now commonly used for barrenness) for women.

Oh! For these women’s pitsa it was khonathi that was used.
Yes, and also the spiral aloe, which is found here while all other places no longer have it. And another kind, which follows it, is also yet found here at Molika-liko. We do not have any problem finding these. Even when one realises that one is going to be faced with some shortage of food, one way just proceed to those trees over there, digs out six of those aloe plants, and then goes to the lowlands.

To go and sell them?
I go to sell them and return home, having purchased some food for the children.

Don’t you think that you are helping to exterminate them by so selling them?
No. This does not happen everyday. What happens is that if I should happen to go to Maseru, or some other man is going to Maseru, it does occur to me that since this person is going down to the lowlands, I am giving him something to take along. “Hey, man! Please bring me such and such so that I may be able to get a quarter bag [of grain]”. He will come here with some money and say: “They did purchase it on the bus”. The point is the people staying there are going to plant it. They plant it. Even this basin like [this] one they plant. Now, when we are carrying it, or say five of them, they are purchased with a good amount of money and I am able to buy some food for the children and there will be no problem.
Section 10
So, quite many things are still available here which were there as you grew up?
Oh yes, they are still there here. It does not get finished when we dig it out. When we find that here there are six or three growing together, I take only one and I go to look for another elsewhere. The one, which I notice to be rather too exposed while it is yet too young, I return its roots into the soil so that it may thrive once again. No, we are able to benefit quite well.

You have no problems?
No, we find no problem.

There is also an abundance of food?
Well, the crops in the fields indeed promise a lot of food.

Thus for you have not experienced any problems?
No sir, we have no problems.

As madam also indicates that there is also an abundance of vegetables.
Yes sir, our only other problems is that of rivers namely that of the places where we cross when we go for shopping. That is all. Because during the time when there is nowhere we can cross and we have to stay in one place. That is the only problem we do have here. Besides that we really lead a very pleasant life. We are worried. What bothers us is whether when we leave this place, shall we ever continue to enjoy the kind of life that we have had?

Let us then come and talk about this issue of removal. Let us hear how you view it.
No sir, I do note this issue of removal. Indeed moving we are. However, we are not quite satisfied because of what is being promised to us. It seems to us that the promises we have been made are not going to be kept. We do not know whether they will actually do that, for after all they are the government. But, we are indeed hoping that since they are the government, the government will perhaps treat us sympathetically in connection with this land of ours, from which they are removing us and about which we have had no complaint at all whereas generally, residents do have lots of dissatisfaction about their land. This land of ours sir, causes us no dissatisfaction. Here we do not have those of the mighty hand (thieves). We do not have these many things. Even the children of this place do not have the disposition of the arm sickness (pilfering). Further, we are not much molested by starvation for it is starvation that breeds many [evils]. Yes sir, we do not have it. And further, we never find ourselves in any difficulties since this land of ours provides us with everything. Now we feel rather uncertain whether, indeed the white gentlemen will actually do for us and in a correct manner, these things which they promise us.
Section 11
What is it that makes you doubt whether they will actually fulfil their promises?
Yes sir, we do indeed have some doubt. Also, it is noticed with some here among us how they do not handle matters quite properly. Like I may demonstrate with the example of our taped houses, that each person will have his houses constructed, as he wants. But they do not seem to be doing that. What happens is that a house such as we have is replaced by just a single house erected with nothing but those narrow bricks used for the internal walls separating the different rooms. For these reasons, then this matter really does bother us.

You are not happy at all?
Indeed we are not quite happy, especially because they in addition, reduce what we had agreed upon. When they had promised you two rooms, the second eventually gets dropped and you remain with just one. Or where there were perhaps four buildings, when I demand that on the basis of our agreement, they should be replaced with four or five others, this does not happen. Rather it will be a person with one building who gets a two-roomed replacement. Thus it is the person with several buildings who is eventually robbed. If the policy is to make a replacement with more, why does the person with several buildings not get more, too?
Only the person with a single building is given an additional one. If more is provided, that is to say if each person is provided with more than he originally had, does it not follow that every person should be given what he desires? Especially when they remove a person from where he really had nothing to worry about?

Where are you moving?
I am going to Makotoko’ s sir.

Do you entirely dislike being moved?
The aim and purpose is that we actually did not like being moved from here. However, as this has been acceptable to the government, we could not say anything. That is why we have opted to choose places ourselves where we might perhaps find it possible to live as we had at our former places.

Have you then chosen Makotoko’s because it is still an area of flat-topped mountains?
Yes, the point is that I have chosen the place because it is still a village life area where we may be able to live communally with those other Basotho who are living there. Or, following our observation, because it appeared probable that the chief might allocate me some land to cultivate.

There appears to be still some available land there at Makotoko’s?
Yes sir, it is yet better!

So in your view how do you picture your life at Makotoko’s? What do you think it will be like?
Well, I have the impression it will be good sir, if only those of the project fulfil what they have promised namely, what they have offered to provide to us for the coming fifty years. It seems to me that life will be good. I shall achieve something.
Section 12
Now do you think that the matter of cannabis will remain possible for you to handle where you are going now that you are moving?
Yes sir, because that is the land of lands, which is similar to this very land where we are moving. We are likely to find that it is only possible for us to be able to get ploughing lands.

Have you ever heard about the problems faced by the people who were moved from Katse, namely what sort of difficulties they have encountered?
I did hear a little that whereas they had signed that they would be given grain food, the grain food which was provided was stale and further its quantity was less than what they had signed for in the agreement. Because of this they later lodged a complaint on the matter of the amounts of money that they had been promised. Now they no longer come in the correct amounts. In other words, the payments no longer conform to the requirements as indicated by each person. What is eventually paid to each individual no longer satisfies them.
Another issue that of the wells which are said to be dug. The people there say that they have been dealt with rather badly and those wells are not functioning. They have consequently sought alternative places where to obtain water. That is the point sir.
Also, those houses, which have been built sir, are cracking because as you will understand, the foundation consists of a single line room dividing brick. Now as the dam fills up, the ground begins to yield. When it thus yields, if you are as far away as that village beyond, or say as far as at Koporala’s, those houses there crack. But besides this, with regard to houses, it seems that even when they are not close to but rather distant from the dam, say as far away as Marakabei, it does happen that when the ground yields there are some tremors even there and subsequently those houses crack. Now once they have cracked and the owners inform the project authorities, the latter do not help them. They say it is the owner’s business.

Once they have built them houses they leave them alone?
Yes they do not care any longer about the situation of these people who they know well got into such a situation on their instigation.

Do you suspect then that you will encounter similar problem?
Yes, it does seem to us that perhaps we shall be faced with the same situation. The same situation will probably face us, while such a thing should not occur. When we sign the agreement its provisions should be such that we shall be satisfied. Also, another thing, which bothers us, is that it has been said that we should undertake no ploughing and no planting here as you notice the fields... Usually if (the ploughed land) is not like this at this time. Last month we were prevented from ploughing and when we were thus stopped from ploughing, some had already planted the maize crop, which you see. We were thus prohibited after we had already started ploughing because we had earlier just been told orally. We were then later informed in writing, which resulted in the fields being in the present state. Some like the one yonder have not been ploughed.

Had they in the oral prohibition, indicated that you should not plough, or...?
Yes, orally they had said we should not plough, perhaps something might be done for us somewhere, sometime.
Now, after that we realised that time was going while nothing was happening. Then some went on and ploughed. After that the tape measure. They just measured wherever they chose to, maybe... They did not measure some of the gardens. They called them “plots” falling outside the focus of the machine. We were just wondering whether their falling outside the focus of the machine meant that those plots become lost soil. That matter sir, really worries us. Worrying us it does worry us. Our every item must be dealt with in such a way that we shall not complain so that in future they may give us what is in accordance with the agreement and further, that they should provide us with what we showed to be our need. It is only that way that they would seem to me to be right.
Section 13
Do you not have other views you would like to express on this issue of being moved?
On the issue of being moved?

Yes sir.
Gosh! I would take the whole day sir.

So, there is a lot you have in that regard?
Yes indeed. Here is another important point. They have written the amounts of money on paper, to indicate the value. This also appears to be cheating us and we have complaints against it. Because to a big one they have added metres. That is to say it becomes so big! A soccer field!

Yes? They’re acre you mean?
Yes, when I base myself on the fact that here at Molika-liko it is on that small field of mine that I depend for my livelihood. Here at Molika-liko.
[He went on to show me the small fields about which we were talking so that I could note how small they were. They are the ones he says were indicated to be falling outside the focus of the machine]
We benefit from these small fields despite their size. From it I got well filled bale. In their view, however, a field of that size is worth something like M500 or even below that, say M300. The machine does not capture it. Now imagine when I realise that it may perhaps bring me no more than M200 a year. If it is the only one I have how shall I survive with M200 a year? Even their acre sir, dissatisfies us. Let the “acre” be understood in its Sesotho sense and not in the white man’s sense. If it is taken in its Sesotho sense it seems to me that all would be ok.

[You mean] the acres should be understood in their Sesotho sense in terms of which everybody knows for example, that “this field of mine has, I know so many acres?”
Yes, also you understand that if a father who has children, like we do have them, has given a piece of his field to one of his children, that child of his, lives on that one piece of land. Perhaps it is as a father that he has given that piece of land to his child. Now this piece of land provides food to this child, and he/she will live in a manner which does not worry the parent or which is in no way a cause for concern. They, on the other hand, are going to effect cuts and offer that child one hundred rand annually. Now, since the cost of food has gone up so much these days, what will they be eating all the year? How pitiable!
That also dissatisfies us. Let it be handled in the Sesotho way. A person should be compensated in a way, which the government will arrange to enable them to survive throughout the year. At least let a person be given money which is sufficient for them to see the year through, or else the money could be topped up with some food. It seems to me that this could be better. It should not be handled in the white man’s way. It would cheat us terribly. It cheats us. It cheats us, and in fact it is already making us dissatisfied. There is some money, which we note in their papers but which is not available. We have thoroughly read their papers. We have them in our houses. Now, honestly, it dissatisfies us. There is indeed something.... That very matter particularly dissatisfies us.
Section 14
We, thank you, Mr Khethisa.
Yes sir.