‘Stop famo gang wars’
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By webmaster on	 July 17, 2010 Local, News
MASERU — One was killed last week.
Another was left for dead with five gunshot wounds.
Another got murdered three weeks ago.
Seven artists killed in three months.
Nearly 30 shot dead since the beginning of the year.
In one year nearly 100 have been killed in South Africa and Lesotho.
This is not war-torn Iraq but Lesotho.
That’s the latest body count in the famo gang war that has been raging for years.
Makhaula Hlakane, 35, a promising famo artist who has become the latest statistic, had just alighted from a taxi in Mohale’s Hoek on July 6 when unknown gunmen opened fire and killed him.
A day before, another artist, Kuenane Ratio, was battling for his life at Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in Maseru after gunmen pumped five bullets into him and left him for dead.
“We are being killed,” says famo artist Lephats’oa Lebajoa, popularly known as Selomo.
So serious is the carnage that Selomo, who leads a group called Fito, has pleaded with the government to intervene.
At the centre of the war are two gangs, Terene and Seakhi.
Rethabile Mokete, better known as Mosotho Chakela, leads the Terene group while Bereng Majoro, alias Lekase, heads the Seakhi group.
Those who have been killed this year belonged to either of the two groups.
The battle is over the market for records, airplay on radio stations and fans.
But Selomo believes what has triggered the latest wave of killings are the violent and insulting lyrics that famo artists spew in their songs.
In those lyrics mothers have been insulted and clans disparaged.
Families and people’s wives have been called names.
Gangs have been humiliated.
The musicians have traded insults through their vitriol-laden lyrics.
Tempers have flared and people have been killed.
Eventually it has turned into a full-fledged war between the gangs.
Yet these groups were started with noble intentions, Selomo says.
“We wanted to be there for each other in times of trouble and help ourselves grow as musicians,” he adds.
Selomo says he recently met Communications Minister Mothejoa Metsing to ask the government to help stop the bloodshed in the industry.
He says he told Metsing that the government “should do something because people are being killed”.
Metsing, Selomo says, promised to “see if he can help”.
“But since then more famo artists have died and the government has not done anything,” he complains.
“If the government was working hard enough to solve these problems the numbers of people who are dying would not be accumulating on a daily basis.
“The government has turned a blind eye to the fights in famo music industry.”
Selomo says he suggested to Metsing that famo music should be banned on radio stations “because either their lyrics contain vulgar language or idiomatic expressions that are offensive”.
Selomo himself was recently targeted for assassination together with another famo artist, Sarele Sello, as well as two presenters from Catholic Radio and People’s Choice FM.
Sello belongs to Selomo’s Fito group.
The plotters, two of them, were arrested before they could execute their plan.
They were jailed for four years each but later released on bail pending appeal against the conviction.
During their trial the two men told the court that Selomo and Sello were targeted because they were from the Fito group.
The suspects said the man behind their mission was Lekase, leader of Seakhi.
The two radio presenters, the suspects said, were targeted because they were accused of playing music from a rival group.
Selomo says over seven artists have been killed in the past three months but “nothing has been done”.
Hlakane belonged to the Seakhi group that was led by the late Rants’o Makepi who was shot dead
His second and latest album, Hlaba Sea Luma 2, was released in April and his stable says it is doing well on the market.
Hlakane’s death has left members of his group and stable terrified.
Some say they fear they might be the next victims.
And they have reason to be afraid: since the beginning of the year four members of the stable have been murdered, they say.
A producer from Seakhi who wants to remain anonymous says the industry has become dangerous.
“In our Seakhi group this (Hlakane) is the third artist who has been killed. A producer was also killed,” he says.
“We are worried because we don’t know who will be the next victim.
“Someone told me to watch my back because soon they are going to kill me.”
Even the gang leaders themselves are now living in fear.
Chakela, the leader of the Terene group, says some people have threatened to kill him.
“I receive text messages and calls from people who insult and threaten to kill me,” Chakela says.
“I am now living in fear because it seems like these people have information about my whereabouts every time.”
His fear is not without reason because in 2002 he survived an attempt on his life that left him with three bullets — on his back, leg and shoulder.
“Those people wanted to kill me and I just survived through the grace of God,” Chakela says.
And it seems one does not need to belong to any of the warring groups to be targeted.
Ratio, 37, who spoke to this paper from his hospital bed at Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, says he is lucky to be alive after unknown gunmen shot him five times at his home in Thetsane on July 5.
He says it was around 8pm when he heard someone calling his name.
“I was from the toilet and I heard a voice calling my name. After a few seconds I heard gun shots,” Ratio said.
When he woke up he was on his hospital bed nursing three injuries on the back, leg and arm.
He says police found eight bullet shells in his yard.
“This has really shocked me because these people wanted to kill me,” Ratio says.
“Unfortunately I am not even part of these groups that are fighting and I have nothing against anyone.”
Ratio, who has seven albums to his name, says he now fears that his family might be attacked as well.
Lerashea on July 19, 2010 4:14 am
Lekase le Chakela lokisang bashaa ba heso! ke se tlameha ho checka ghost ha ke letsa mmino o mong ke le kae-kae!
Oa Makaoteng on July 25, 2010 1:28 pm
Lumela poho,oena ke ithutile hore o motho ea ka nnang a tseba litaba ke batla reke rekopane BP mona poho feela ekare o sekelemenyana tjena hake tsebe na reka kopana joang ako bue poho na rekakopana joang
Lerashea on July 26, 2010 6:46 am
akhela mona re utloe, lerashea@gmail.com
Sebatalali on July 19, 2010 10:12 am
Batho bana ba Mafeteng ba hloka ho etsetsoa thapelo ea Novena.
Ha ba sa bolaeane ba tseka joang,ba bolaeana ba tseka mmino.
Khilik! batho baa ba entse joang!! [[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[
jorotane on July 19, 2010 12:47 pm
lekase o bonahala a ferekanya famo ha a sitoa ho rekisa. chakela o liphoso empa o se a pharoa ka ntho tseo e seng tsa hae mona
Oa Makaoteng on July 25, 2010 1:25 pm
Jorotane seka sotha litabahle monna oa thetsa batho basa tsebeng,hao rata Chakela seka iketsa sefofu leha a ntse a etsa masepa ebe o bea molato ho Lekase,Chakela haa tsebeleho bina hle monna rona bathoba Makaoteng retla o joetsa tsona ntho tsena haeba o batla re bue likakata o bue re lokolle feela haeba mapolesa ana aa bala mona reka fana ka litaba rona hoba haore oea mapoleseng mono ke bona mapolesa bao rekisangho bona bo Chakela.Hannyane araba potso ke tsena,CHAKELA HAEBA HASE MMOLAI HOBANENG A BOKANTSE BABOLAI LEKHOTLENG LEE LA HAE LA TERENE?1,Maema oa bolaea monna otsoa bolaea monna le mosali aba qobeletse katlung ka sethunya ele hobane a tsekisa monna eo mosali oa hae mane ha MASIU,2,MATHAI eena tsa hae hakesa batla leholi buahoba mesebetsi ea hae ke eeo emo latetse,3,MASOEFE oqetile liphoofolo tsa batho li felletse holima sehlaba sa BOLEKA moo haa mo roka oreke KHAKA,Kesa ntse ke eme Boleka moo ha MAHOLI mora KHAKA eleng SENOOE ke eane otsoa bolaea Mayor WEPENER moshana oa mono TS’AKHOLO mono.4BOTLENYANE oaha MOTANYANE o bolaile RANTSO monna reo joetse a ronngoe ke eena KHOSI EEO EA LONA EA TERENE
Bua na omang poho le oena reo joetse na o entseng.TERENE ENO EA LONA E TLETSE LITLOKOTSEBE BABOLAI KAOFELA e mong le e mong nna ke tseba litaba tsa hae,nka o etsetsalist oa ba oa soaba oa iphumana le lebitso la hao le hlaha le litaba tsa hao.
manchabora on July 20, 2010 6:21 am
Banna!Batho bana ba makaota ba khanngoe ke lipalo.Ke hore ha ba tsebe le bona na ba tsekang.Haele Koenane eena ba mo tloaela hampe,monna eno ke hore o ipuela ka boloi feela,ha a na khang le motho.Kapa ke bona baloi banna ba mo hlasetseng?Ke utloa ba ntenne hore,hore ke ithete ke ipitike hona joale.nxa!
toloki on July 24, 2010 12:46 pm
Chakela ao bake moferefere eena ebe o sala a phela bana batho bona ba shoe,ke mona Lekase haa bua ka babolai ba Rantso cd eo bae binneng le Letono ea Likhora keho thonaka,Chakela o etsa Cd e ncha,haa tloha feela osa kobisa Lekase le Letono ka likobiso tse hlohlontsang litsebe.
Joale ke mona oa khalema Lekase,joale haele mona base ba bolaile Makhaola ache ho boima.Koenane oa molimo haa rata ho ipinela ka baloi le morana eena o tsekisoang.
Chakela o batla ho sala ele eena feela ene la hao leatla Chakela hose hose hokae batla lla ba heno le oena joaloka ba ntseng ba lla;
O sentse industry eena ea mmino Chakela,o bolaile Rakhapu hoba o bona hore Rakhapu o patala libini bo Rantso hantle,moo o batlang libini tsena lio adore hoba o ipitsa Khosi,le oena la hao lea tla ntja,Lehlanya tlohella hoba seselisoa,Maema eena Lesotho mona haasa tla otla bosiu,Mathai osa shoele,
Na oa hlokomela Chakela hore e chaile ka oena?
Batho basa o tsebeng ba nka o lokile hao ntse o thothometsa mantsoe o bontsa kamoo ba batlang hoo bolaea ka teng,o leshano o moikaketsi nna ehlile keo tseba hantle ke phetse phase 3 nako e telele pele ketla Gauteng mona.Maema eena o tlosoa ke eng moo a lulang haeka ke eo kemo bona Orange Farm moo tje?
Lerashea on July 26, 2010 6:48 am
Oa Makaoteng le uena Toloki butleng banna seka etsang tjena, lea hotetsa re ntse re leka ho thiba hlaha ka mona!
kea le kopa Makaota a matle ha re se sebetseng tjena in public
Let'sekha on August 26, 2010 10:58 am
Uena jorotane u khema le lintho tse nyonyehang kea u utloa.
Ako tsoe mothoebeng oo. CHAKELA RETHABILE MOKETE ke ‘molai lefat’se lena lohle lea tseba.
H’a utloa hore tsa hae lia hlaha o rohaka bo-Lekase le Letono.
Mashai o bolauoe ke chomi tsa hae,
Chakela o tlo bolaoa ke mahlana a na a hae joalo ka Chaka.
Kuenane ena ebe o tsekisoa eng banna?
H’a kobise batho ho hang o ipinela ka meriana le boloi hoba ke chomi ea baloi.
‘Mina-t’sepe ena a tlohele batho bana a se bakobise ba tla utloa t’sepe ha e bina.
Ke Let’sekha ‘na
J N on October 17, 2010 5:24 am
I can’t understand why the artists cannot get together without being shot, why there isn’t any peace?
Lerashea on October 18, 2010 7:54 am
li bonolo hampe litaba tsena ueso, li bonolo hobane ho tsekisanoa nkane ea naheng hore emong o itse emong ke monna, kapa e mong o itse emong oa phinya a tsoele kantle!
e thata hobane e kentse borashea kahare joale mali a se a matha liphororo, boiphetetso bo jele setsi ha esana monga eona le bana ba motho ba shebana ka la Kaine!
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