* Kgosikgolo Kgafela II presides over coronation as Rangwane - Kgosi Sekai * Jubilation as BaKgatla branches unite in Mosate
Self-exiled Kgosikgolo Kgafela II of BaKgatla ba Kgafela will on Saturday 8th July, 2023 preside over the enthronement of Kgosikgolo of BaKgatla ba Mosetlha, Kgosi Nchaupe III Makapan in Makapanstad, Hammaskraal, South Africa.
Throngs of BaKgatla from across South Africa and Botswana will descend on Makapanstad (Mosate) for this auspicious ceremony to bear witness as Kgosikgolo Kgafela II drapes Kgosikgolo Nchaupe III with the leopard’s skin.
Insiders say this marks the culmination of years of painstaking underground efforts designed to rebuild a united BaKgatla Kingdom comprising BaKgatla ba Mosetlha, BaKgatla ba Mmanaana, BaKgatla ba Kgafela, BaKgatla ba
Kau and BaKgatla ba Motsha. The plan is for the BaKgatla nation to ultimately have one King.
Motshwarelela Kgosikgolo, Kgosi Bana Sekai confirmed to Botswana Guardian that droves of Bakgatla from Mochudi, including the male regiment, will depart on Friday (today) for the big event in Makapanstad on Saturday to accompany Kgsoikgolo Kgafela II and to showcase authentic Sekgatla culture through songs (dikoma) and praise.
Kgosi Sekai also confirmed that Mohumagadi Mma Matshego, who returned to Mochudi from South Africa last year with Princes Tebele and Sedibelo, will also form part of the delegation to Makapanstad. Kgosi Sekai revealed that BaKgatla ba Mosetlha had approached Kgosikgolo Kgafela II to ask him to perform the honours of enthronement.
From Moshupa, Kgosi Oscar Mosielele will lead a delegation comprising Kgosi Gobuamang as Rremogolo and senior tribesmen. Kgosi Mosielele said their participation signifies the wish and desire to unite all the BaKgatla branches.
He said they also expect BaKgatla ba Mosetlha to reciprocate the gesture by attending their Dikgafela in Moshupa on September 1 this year.
BaKgatla ba MmaKau found largely in Brits, South Africa and BaKgatla ba Motsha, found in Hammaskraal are also expected to grace this ceremony in a mark of absolute unity.
By lineage BaKgatla ba Mosetlha are the eldest, but according to custom and tradition (bloodline), a female cannot rule over Morafe.
An elder from the royal house of BaKgatla ba Mosetlha Johannes Hans Thipe recounted to Botswana Guardian during last year’s Heritage Day celebrations in S’fikile, South Africa, how in the 1650’s Kgosi Matshego, the son of
Kgosi Mogale, was the last King to rule over a united BaKgatla.
Kgosi Matshego bore Mosetlha (daughter) in the first house, while in the second house was born Kgafela and in the third house was born Kau and Motsha – hence the saying, Motsha-a-Rakau.
For this reason, BaKgatla baga Mosetlha are therefore the eldest.
Thipe explained that BaKgatla are descended from Mokgatla. Matshego is the sixth King from Mokgatla. Trouble started after Matshego died when the eldest, being Mosetlha, had to take over. This was resisted by Kgafela and Sekgatla custom since a woman has never ruled over Morafe wa BaKgatla.
Kgafela then broke away leaving Kau and Mocha – but they would also later leave. Bakgatla ba Mosetlha are largely found in Hammaskraal and some in Phokeng, being the group that came with Thipe, the younger brother of Kgosi Nchaupe I.
Over time Kgosi Nchaupe I requested his younger brother, Thipe to return home. Thipe had two houses – but he left with the small house, some of whose offspring are Lasetlola and Meno. The big house remained hence Bakgatla in Moruleng – bo Malebe – are Bakgatla baga Mosetlha because Malebe is the son of Setshedi.
Some in Moruleng who use the name Setshedi and Ramoabi as surname are also Bakgatla ba Mosetlha. “Our grandmother was Malebe, but because of the discrimination of the Boers, the Chief who started this surname is Kgosi Nchaupe II because before his brother died, there had not been a Makapan.
“But this was misleading because it was said that bo-Malebe are Ndebeles, when you asked who are the BaKgatla, they said BaKgatla are the Pilanes, but bo-Pilane are our younger brothers!
“At the time of the father of Kgosi Thipe I, whose name was Thipe II but according to royal line was Thipe I, when he was born he was given the name Ramoabi. Now Kgosi Mokopane gave him the name, Mokopane – that’s when confusion started, it was said there are too many Malebes bearing the same names and surnames!
“That is when he changed the name from Malebe to Mokopane, but when they wrote it, they said Makapan,” Thipe explained to Botswana Guardian. He said that BaKgatla ba Mosetlha have dikgoro (four main wards) and small wards.
The main ward is Kgoro ya Mosadi and then there is Kgoro ya Mosadimogolo, which comes from Kgoro ya Mosadi. When the tribe grew in numbers and in deference to the wife of Kgosi Nchaupe I - Serufo sa RaMoabi - they created Kgoro ya Mosadimogolo. There is also Kgoro ya Mma Marama and Kgoro ya Mma Mmekwa.
Throngs of BaKgatla from across South Africa and Botswana will descend on Makapanstad (Mosate) for this auspicious ceremony to bear witness as Kgosikgolo Kgafela II drapes Kgosikgolo Nchaupe III with the leopard’s skin.
Insiders say this marks the culmination of years of painstaking underground efforts designed to rebuild a united BaKgatla Kingdom comprising BaKgatla ba Mosetlha, BaKgatla ba Mmanaana, BaKgatla ba Kgafela, BaKgatla ba
Kau and BaKgatla ba Motsha. The plan is for the BaKgatla nation to ultimately have one King.
Motshwarelela Kgosikgolo, Kgosi Bana Sekai confirmed to Botswana Guardian that droves of Bakgatla from Mochudi, including the male regiment, will depart on Friday (today) for the big event in Makapanstad on Saturday to accompany Kgsoikgolo Kgafela II and to showcase authentic Sekgatla culture through songs (dikoma) and praise.
Kgosi Sekai also confirmed that Mohumagadi Mma Matshego, who returned to Mochudi from South Africa last year with Princes Tebele and Sedibelo, will also form part of the delegation to Makapanstad. Kgosi Sekai revealed that BaKgatla ba Mosetlha had approached Kgosikgolo Kgafela II to ask him to perform the honours of enthronement.
From Moshupa, Kgosi Oscar Mosielele will lead a delegation comprising Kgosi Gobuamang as Rremogolo and senior tribesmen. Kgosi Mosielele said their participation signifies the wish and desire to unite all the BaKgatla branches.
He said they also expect BaKgatla ba Mosetlha to reciprocate the gesture by attending their Dikgafela in Moshupa on September 1 this year.
BaKgatla ba MmaKau found largely in Brits, South Africa and BaKgatla ba Motsha, found in Hammaskraal are also expected to grace this ceremony in a mark of absolute unity.
By lineage BaKgatla ba Mosetlha are the eldest, but according to custom and tradition (bloodline), a female cannot rule over Morafe.
An elder from the royal house of BaKgatla ba Mosetlha Johannes Hans Thipe recounted to Botswana Guardian during last year’s Heritage Day celebrations in S’fikile, South Africa, how in the 1650’s Kgosi Matshego, the son of
Kgosi Mogale, was the last King to rule over a united BaKgatla.
Kgosi Matshego bore Mosetlha (daughter) in the first house, while in the second house was born Kgafela and in the third house was born Kau and Motsha – hence the saying, Motsha-a-Rakau.
For this reason, BaKgatla baga Mosetlha are therefore the eldest.
Thipe explained that BaKgatla are descended from Mokgatla. Matshego is the sixth King from Mokgatla. Trouble started after Matshego died when the eldest, being Mosetlha, had to take over. This was resisted by Kgafela and Sekgatla custom since a woman has never ruled over Morafe wa BaKgatla.
Kgafela then broke away leaving Kau and Mocha – but they would also later leave. Bakgatla ba Mosetlha are largely found in Hammaskraal and some in Phokeng, being the group that came with Thipe, the younger brother of Kgosi Nchaupe I.
Over time Kgosi Nchaupe I requested his younger brother, Thipe to return home. Thipe had two houses – but he left with the small house, some of whose offspring are Lasetlola and Meno. The big house remained hence Bakgatla in Moruleng – bo Malebe – are Bakgatla baga Mosetlha because Malebe is the son of Setshedi.
Some in Moruleng who use the name Setshedi and Ramoabi as surname are also Bakgatla ba Mosetlha. “Our grandmother was Malebe, but because of the discrimination of the Boers, the Chief who started this surname is Kgosi Nchaupe II because before his brother died, there had not been a Makapan.
“But this was misleading because it was said that bo-Malebe are Ndebeles, when you asked who are the BaKgatla, they said BaKgatla are the Pilanes, but bo-Pilane are our younger brothers!
“At the time of the father of Kgosi Thipe I, whose name was Thipe II but according to royal line was Thipe I, when he was born he was given the name Ramoabi. Now Kgosi Mokopane gave him the name, Mokopane – that’s when confusion started, it was said there are too many Malebes bearing the same names and surnames!
“That is when he changed the name from Malebe to Mokopane, but when they wrote it, they said Makapan,” Thipe explained to Botswana Guardian. He said that BaKgatla ba Mosetlha have dikgoro (four main wards) and small wards.
The main ward is Kgoro ya Mosadi and then there is Kgoro ya Mosadimogolo, which comes from Kgoro ya Mosadi. When the tribe grew in numbers and in deference to the wife of Kgosi Nchaupe I - Serufo sa RaMoabi - they created Kgoro ya Mosadimogolo. There is also Kgoro ya Mma Marama and Kgoro ya Mma Mmekwa.
