I was so shocked and disappointed to read, in the weekend newspapers, allegations to the effect Minister of Justice, Defence and Security Shaw Kgathi recently behaved like a diva and obstructed traffic officers from doing their job. Shocked because as the political head of the police service, Kgathi ought to lead by example and extend some respect to the men and women in uniform, so that the rest of us can follow suit. I was also disappointed because just recently I was telling friends how Kgathi is such a nice guy, personally, despite some of his public statements that are often laced with bodela, as they would refer to stupidity in his Bobirwa constituency. We still remember his dumb statements during the time of the Eritrean footballers who dodged going back home, don’t we? I have interacted with Kgathi on a personal and social level and he is just a nice guy. Well, unless he was just pretending in front of me because these politicians have the tendency to behave well in my presence. Ga kere nna I don’t tolerate their inflated and overrated sense of importance. They are just like you and me. They eat the same food and use the lavatory just like us. Of course the only difference is their positioning in the societal hierarchy but that doesn’t give them any Godly status. In fact by virtue of their positions, they need to be more polite and well behaved than the rest of us. The problem is once they ascend to those positions they turn the tables on us and become the masters while we turn into their servants. According to the newspapers, Sunday Standard to be precise, Kgathi was being chauffeur-driven in our car (Government car) whereupon his driver (our employee, who is paid by the nation and not Kgathi) was flagged down by police officers (who are employed by us) for over speeding. All hell is said to have broken loose when the poor police officers wanted to do their job and fine Kgathi’s official driver, as they are supposed to do with every driver who contravenes the road traffic laws. Kgathi is alleged to have showed attitude, obstructing traffic officers from issuing a ticket to his speeding driver. He is said to have scolded the officers for ‘wasting his time’. He is alleged to have even instructed his driver to drive off while the police officers were still trying to get the driver’s personal details, as they are supposed to do whenever they have to issue a ticket to an offending driver. I am still in utter shock as to what could have led to Kgathi to behave like a mampara on that day. Like I already mentioned, Kgathi never struck me as someone who could be so arrogant to other people. I am still asking myself, has Kgathi now forgotten he is just there at the mercy and prerogative of President Ian Khama, to the extent of mistaking people under his ministry for his farm workers. I mean, we have heard before how Kgathi treats his farm workers and for him to now treat our workers the same way he allegedly treats his workers calls for serious concern. Why was Kgathi in such a bad mood, if indeed these allegations are true? Was he venting out his frustrations on the poor officers because the incident is reported to have happened just as everyone was waiting for President Khama to announce his cabinet reshuffle? Did Kgathi look at these officers and the thought of him not being their minister in the event Khama was to replace him make him go bananas on them? Ke gore ke a ipotsa because I can’t say he was probably drunk as I know him to be a teetotaller. He was probably coming from his home village and I just wonder if he was just venting out his personal frustrations from back home. Several times I have escaped being fined by traffic officers and it’s all thanks to my approach towards them. All you need is just to be courteous and show remorse and respect and they will just caution you and set you free. Now imagine if the officers can be tolerant to a nobody like me, what more of somebody like a minister who also happens to be their political boss. All Kgathi needed to do was apologise on behalf of his driver and promise to abide by the traffic rules thereafter. In fact, I don’t even understand how Kgathi ended up in the mix because his driver has a mouth and brain to dictate to him how he is supposed to behave when caught on the wrong side of the law. The problem with these ministers is they think everyone knows them. They think everyone worships them or must worship them. Kana ebile Kgathi was probably not wearing a suit so the poor officers in that village must have wondered to themselves who he was or how important he is. I will not be surprised to hear he even asked them if they knew who he was, because he probably thinks everyone has to know him. On a very serious ending note, Kgathi and all other top government officials should respect officers who are only there to do their national service and carry out their duty obligations. This high sense of exaggerated and unnecessary sense of self-importance must fall. Shame on you Shaw!
Twitter:@kuvuki
