WeeklySA_AdminJENRE: The entire country is embroiled in the gangs committing criminal activities and killing people…
By Monk Nkomo and Al Jazeera
Dangerous and heavily-armed gangs of certain Famo traditional music groups in Lesotho, were responsible for a spate of murders which had tarnished the image of this genre once regarded as an integral part of the country’s rich cultural heritage and an essential tool to unite the local people in the tiny mountain kingdom.
This is the view expressed by residents including journalists and musicians following reports of fierce rivalry between certain Famo groups which had so far claimed more than one hundred lives in Lesotho since 2009.
A country with a population of 2,3 million, the violence was perpetrated by these factions apparently because certain Famo artists had begun insulting each other in their music. The spate of violence culminated in Lesotho having the sixth highest murder rate in the world.
The violence has since resulted in the government banning 12 of the Famo groups this year after identifying them as illegal terrorist organizations whose objective was to incite and commit acts of violence. Those banned included Terene ea Chakela and Terene ea Mokata Lirope.
Most concerning was the fact that these acts of violence, including murder, were committed with impunity. In their response, the Lesotho government gazetted a law that gave the police powers to arrest those who violated the banning order and for the courts to impose harsh jail sentences. The first victims of this legislation were three men from Leribe who were convicted and each jailed for 10 years for wearing regalia of banned Famo groups.
These gangs, according to reports, were so much in control that they had spread their tentacles into various government agencies especially in the security forces. Certain political parties were also connected to them.
They have contacts in the police and army units. Members of the public were afraid to report their criminal activities to the police because they feared that the information would be leaked and there would be retribution. The army has denied any links with any of these groups.
Mahlape Morai, who was Lesotho’s Acting police commissioner in May this year, admitted that Famo gangs had compromised the police force. She pointed out, however, that the police were not the only entity dealing with Famo infiltration.
“It is not only police officers who have joined Famo gangs. The entire country is embroiled in the Famo gangs perpetrating criminal activities and killing people. Famo is celebrated in Lesotho, crime is celebrated in Lesotho, and for me, it needs to be given attention by everyone, not just the police,” The Lesotho Times quoted her as saying.
Initiation schools, which are known as a rite of passage that involved circumcision and traditional laws for young men, had also been identified by journalists in particular, as a breeding ground for Famo gangs.
“When they recruit you into the gangs, they [Famo gangs] go to your family, sit your family down to say, we are taking this person, we want this person to work with us. But because the environment is volatile, this person might die. So here is R500,000 or here is R1 million as insurance so that should this person die, you do not come complaining to us. We have already paid for his life.”
Once heralded as a blend of traditional Basotho songs backed by Western instruments such as guitars, drums and accordions, , Famo has now been regarded by authorities in Lesotho as being notorious due to fierce rivalry between groups of this unique maskandi-style of music. The music had emerged as a powerful expression of migrants from Lesotho who reflected on their experiences as miners in Johannesburg as early as in the 1920s.
The violence that had now erupted in the mountain kingdom had tarnished the music’s image and had made it difficult for genuine Famo artists to continue with their craft without being trapped in the politics of violence surrounding the genre.
According to reports, two prominent voices at the forefront of Famo music scene, were caught up in the violence when gunmen opened fire on their van in Maseru and shot them in July this year. The victims were identified as Khopolo Khuluoe, popularly known as Lisuoa, an award-winning singer of Famo.
The other was Pulane Macheli, a celebrated radio personality. Together, they were on a mission to avert violence related to Famo music. Khuluoe died on the scene and Macheli succumbed to the injuries the following day in hospital.
Unconfirmed reports revealed that most of these killings were related to a longstanding feud between two major Famo gangs that included Terene ea Mokata Lirope and the Liala Mabatha.
Although there had been widespread protests over the government’s banning of some of the Famo groups, some musicians conceded that some of their colleagues did use their music to incite violence.
“Famo music was a form of entertainment that also served to preserve the history and culture of the Basotho people. Unfortunately, in more recent times, certain factions have used the music to incite violence or promote rivalry among them,’’ one of the musicians was quoted as saying.
One of Lesotho’s artists, Mantsali Julia Hantsi, popularly known as Thope Tse Khang, whose music was not banned, was quoted as saying : “While I understand the government’s concern for public safety, I believe that banning Famo music and shows is not the solution. There should be a focus on addressing the causes of the violence. Famo music itself is not the problem – it is how certain individuals have used it to push harmful agendas. Music is meant to unite and heal, and we should work toward restoring that positive role.” Famo music, she added, was a form of entertainment that also served to preserve the history and culture of the Basotho people. “Unfortunately, in more recent times, certain factions had used the music to incite violence or promote rivalry among them.
The killings in the tiny mountain kingdom had worsened with reports suggesting that murders related to Famo music seemed to have risen. At least 100 Famo artists had been murdered since 2009. The victims included the family members of an alleged Famo gangster.
Showing a blatant disregard for human lives, two members of the Terene ea Mokata Lirope group were shot at a funeral at their leader’s rural home in Leribe in April this year. Six hours later, a suspected revenge killing took place when five family members of a rival Famo gang member were murdered. Nobody has been arrested for the murders.
ARTISTS’ INSULTS TRIGGER ‘FAMO’ DANCE RIFTS
Feuds: Two group members shot dead at their leader’s funeral and a family wiped out in revenge…
By Monk Nkomo and Al Jazeera
Several music artists have been dealt a severe financial blow after the Lesotho government banned their music and declared them as illegal terrorists whose songs incited violence that had led to a widespread reign of terror in the tiny mountain kingdom which claimed the lives of nearly one hundred artists in the past ten to fifteen years.
Allegedly financed by organised crime, Famo has caused a lot of suffering and even brutal killings perpetrated by merciless gangs who started fighting when they began insulting each other through their music which had always been associated with people expressing themselves and telling stories about their experiences in the belly of South Africa’s mines.
‘’ It was never meant to be violent or cause any violent acts’’, residents said. Some musicians , however, conceded that certain factions in the Famo music industry had used their songs to promote rivalry and incite violence and killings.
The deadly rivalry resulted in the Lesotho government banning 12 of the Famo groups this year branding them terrorist organisations because of their violent tendencies. The decision has come as a blow to followers of this musical tradition, mostly Basothos who loved this kind of music which was characterised by singing accompanied by an accordion, guitar and a drum. Some of the groups that had been banned included Terene ea Chakela and Terene ea Mokata-Lirope. The blackout has impacted negatively on the careers of local artists and the music industry as a whole in Lesotho.
Local residents including the media condemned the banning and accused the government of censorship and suppressing freedom of speech. The media was urged to resist the blatant intimidation by the authorities who requested the media not to cover the groups’ events. The media rejected the instruction and instead vowed to continue reporting fairly and accurately.
Many Famo followers complained that they were now unable to watch their favourite artists perform live. Despite the anger and protests, the Lesotho government remained adamant in its decision declaring that the banned Famo groups were involved in or promoting or encouraging subversive activities. The ban extended to any paraphernalia associated with banned groups, such as stylish traditional blankets with distinct gang colours.
Some of the groups or musicians not affected by the government ban included artist, Mantsali Julia Hantsi, popularly known as Thope Tse Khang.
“Famo music was a form of entertainment that also served to preserve the history and culture of the Basotho people,” she said. “Unfortunately, in more recent times, certain factions have used the music to incite violence or promote rivalry among them.’’ Unconfirmed reports revealed that most of the killings were related to a longstanding feud between two major Famo gangs – Terene ea Mokata Lirope and the Liala Mabatha.
According to reports, two prominent voices at the forefront of the Famo music scene were caught up in the violence when unidentified gunmen opened fire on their van in Maseru and shot them in July this year. The victims were identified as Khopolo Khuluoe, popularly known as Lisuoa, an award-winning singer of Famo. The other was Pulane Macheli, a celebrated radio personality. Together, they were on a mission to avert violence related to Famo music. Khuluoe died on the scene and Macheli succumbed to the injuries the following day in hospital.
The killings in the tiny mountain kingdom had worsened with reports suggesting that murders related to Famo music seemed to have risen. Several cases were reported by the local media this year alone. The victims included the family members of an alleged Famo gangster. Showing a blatant disregard for human lives, two members of the Terene ea Mokata Lirope group were shot at a funeral in their leader’s rural home in Leribe in April this year. Six hours later, a suspected revenge killing took place when five family members of a rival Famo gang member were murdered..
No one has been charged for the murders.
Famo gangs had become so powerful that they had now spread their tentacles into various government agencies. They have people in Lesotho’s army and police and some members of the public were now afraid to report their activities to police because they feared information would leak and there would be retribution. Political parties in Lesotho were also connected to Famo gangs, according to the local media which also reported on allegations that the army and police were “in bed” with Famo gangs – claims the army had denied.
In May this year, Lesotho’s Acting police commissioner at the time, Mahlape Morai, admitted that Famo gangs had compromised the police force. She pointed out, however, that the police were not the only entity dealing with Famo infiltration. “It is not only police officers who have joined Famo gangs. The entire country is embroiled in the Famo gangs perpetrating criminal activities and killing people. Famo is celebrated in Lesotho, crime is celebrated in Lesotho, and for me, it needs to be given attention by everyone, not just the police,” The Lesotho Times quoted her as saying.
Hantsi has been quoted as being disheartened about the new associations between Famo and violence. “This shift has cast a shadow on the genre but at its core, Famo is not about violence; it is about storytelling and expression.”
Famo music originated from migrant mining communities in Johannesburg a century ago. The genre was still popular with miners in the city today. The music originated in the slum yards of Johannesburg in the 1920s, according to Lehlohonolo Phafoli in the academic article, The Evolution of Sotho Accordion Music in Lesotho. Back then, it was mostly performed for drinkers of an illicit brew called “skokiaan” in illegal drinking spots for Black people, called “shebeens”. Many visiting the shebeens were Basotho nationals who joined throngs migrating to South Africa in search of work, which also included native Black South Africans dispossessed of their land under apartheid.
From South Africa’s townships, the music made its way to Lesotho. “Famo music spilled over into Lesotho and became common in shebeens. Its arrival in Lesotho can be attributed to two major groups: first, migrant labourers, especially men, and second, Basotho women who came from the locations and mine compounds in Johannesburg”.
Over the years, South Africa and Lesotho had continued to share similar, and often connected, crime problems linked to Famo music and illegal mining. Famo was still popular among the “zama zamas”, the illegal miners who burrow for gold in the remnants of Johannesburg’s old, disused mines and mine dumps today. At a rest stop between Johannesburg and Maseru, one of the Basotho passengers, Keith Mahosi, points stealthily to the stylish blue overall-clad passenger and Famo fan.
“You see that guy over there, he is a zama zama,” said Mahosi, a financial analyst working in Johannesburg whose real name we are not using to protect his safety. “If any altercation were to arise right now,” Mahosi said quietly, “he [the man in blue overalls] will be the first to pull out a gun.”
There is much mistrust and apprehension around those suspected of being zama zamas, amid evidence linking them to crime and violence, including murders. Many zama zamas are also thought to be associated with Famo gangs.
Along Lesotho’s border with South Africa, it is generally peaceful – populated with friendly roadside vendors and makeshift zinc structures that serve as bus terminals. But the peace can shift suddenly. On June 11 this year, several gunmen opened fire on passengers as they stepped out of a minibus, killing two people. It is believed the killings were Famo – related. One of the biggest drivers of Famo violence was illegal mining in South Africa, John Mokwetsi, a journalist from Lesotho using a pseudonym to protect his safety. “These Famo gangs now run different illegal mining turfs in South Africa. What happens is sometimes they [rival Famo gang members] have conflict in the mines. When they fail to locate a gang member they wish to harm in South Africa, they travel to Lesotho and kill the gang member’s family.” In Lesotho today, the gangs formed around Famo music operate in different areas, according to local media reports.
Mahosi, who is a fan of American hip-hop music, likened the feuds of Famo gangs to the US hip-hop feud of the mid-1990s that culminated in the deaths of Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace (popularly known as Biggie Smalls). The feud pitted artists from cities on the East Coast of the US against those from the west.
Drawing parallels between the two music feuds, Mahosi said: “Like the rap ‘beef’ between East Coast and West Coast back in the day, here [in Lesotho] we have the north and south with Leribe district being the south and Mafeteng district being the north.
“A Famo musician from the north cannot perform in the south and vice versa. Well, they can but chances are they won’t make it back home alive.”
Originally, some Famo gangs formed to support musical artists in times of sickness and death. Two gangs that were at the centre of violence between 2009 and 2011, Seakhi and Terene, started as burial societies meant to assist members when they lost loved ones. “The violence started when Famo artists began insulting each other in their music,” said Mokwetsi. While it is not clear exactly when the violence started, the first spate of Famo violence widely reported on by the press was between 2009 and 2010 when 100 Famo artists were said to have been killed in Lesotho and South Africa.
Famo violence has rapidly increased killings in Lesotho; the country of 2.3 million now has the sixth-highest murder rate in the world.
Hantsi, the budding Famo musician, said the violence has tarnished the image of the genre. “It is unfortunate because people now associate the genre with negativity, even though that is not what it originally represented. This has made it harder for genuine Famo artists to continue their craft without being caught up in the politics and violence surrounding the genre.”
Researchers say gangs attempt to lure people to join them with promises of money. For many young men who join Famo gangs, it all starts at initiation schools, according to Mokwetsi. The initiation school for boys in Lesotho, also known as Lebollo Labanna, is a rite of passage that involves male circumcision, among other things.
“The initiation schools are sort of a breeding ground for these [Famo] gangs,” said Lerato Ncube, another journalist investigating Famo violence with Mokwetsi, who we are also not naming to protect her identity. Referring to Lesotho’s initiation schools, she said: “That is where they [Famo gangs] recruit from.” These gangs use money to lure vulnerable youths to join. They offered young boys in rural areas, many of whom live in tough economic conditions, huge amounts of money with promises of more to come.
“When they recruit you into the gangs, they [Famo gangs] go to your family, they sit your family down to say, we are taking this person, we want this person to work with us. But because the environment is volatile, this person might die. So here is R500,000 or here is R1 million as insurance so that should this person die, you don’t come complaining to us, we have already paid for his life.” .
Hantsi was concerned about the government’s decision. “While I understand the government’s concern for public safety, I believe that banning Famo music and shows is not the solution.” There should be a focus on addressing the causes of the violence. “Famo music itself is not the problem; it’s how certain individuals have used it to push harmful agendas. Music is meant to unite and heal, and we should work toward restoring that positive role.”
Despite the violence, Hantsi continued to release songs and was currently experimenting with a fusion of Famo and hip-hop. “Hip-hop has a global reach, and its ability to speak on current social issues and personal stories complements Famo’s traditional narrative style. By blending the two genres, I am able to keep the essence of Famo alive while making it relevant for today’s audience.”
On a busy Friday afternoon in the heart of Maseru, Pioneer Mall – one of the biggest shopping centres in the country – was teeming with people. Near the main entrance, people crowded around a mega-sized chess board – many playing music. In surrounding shops, pop and hip-hop streamed through speakers. But one thing conspicuous by its absence was Famo music – a starkly different picture from the dominance of the genre on minibuses plying the Johannesburg-Maseru route.
“Famo is not everyone’s cup of tea,” said Mahosi, who said the genre was more popular in rural Lesotho than in urban centres like Maseru. That is partly because of taste preferences but also because of the violence now associated with Famo.
“I don’t dislike Famo music. Many people like it because it is our traditional music. But over the years, it has become about violence. Many of the people who sing Famo music are zama zamas, they are gangsters.
“It is the people associated with Famo music that make me want to disassociate myself with the genre.”
