AFRICAN CHIEF’S WHITE WIFE ACCUSED OF SUPPLYING LIQUOR

Wanganui Chronicle, 7 November 1949, Page 5

AFRICAN CHIEF’S WHITE WIFE ACCUSED OF SUPPLYING LIQUOR

CAPETOWN, Nov. 4. Ruth Khama, the white wife of the chiefdesignate of the Bamangwato tribe, was accused today of supplying liquor to her husband and to other Africans.

The former Regent of the tribe, Tshekedi Khama, made this allegation at a British inquiry which is being held at Lobatsi, Bechuanaland, into the fitness of Seretse Khama to rule the Bamangwato natives after his marriage to the former London typist, Ruth Williams. Tshekedi said Ruth had been buying liquor as a European and supplying it to Seretse and other Africans. Liquor other than Kaffir beer had been prohibited in Bechuanaland at the wish of the tribe for many ’years, Tshekedi said. Tshekedi said he had no ambitions to the chieftainship of the Bamangwato tribe. Apart from anything else, the situation in the tribe had been allowed to develop into such a state of emergency that he would not have power to deal with it. “Seretse is undoubtedly the heir apparent, but he has disqualified himself by maintaining, contrary to the Bamangwato custom, that his marriage to Ruth Williams has had the effect of making her queen and the mother of a future chief,” he said. The fact that, she was white did not affect the matter. It would have been the same if she were an African. The main point was that Seretse had married without tribal consent, Tshekedi said. Seretse’s counsel announced that neither Seretse nor the Bamangwato tribe would take part in the inquiry al Lobatsi. because of Tschekedis attitude. Tschekedi had alleged that he feared assassination if the inquiry were held at Serowa the capital of the Bamangwato tribe.