07 Jan 2016

Multitudes of people gathered at Nswazwi kgotla recently to witness the unveiling of Kgosi Mathafeni Nswazwi’s tombstone who was described as a true hero who built the village of Nswazwi from scratch until where it is now.

Kgosi Mathafeni was born in 1921 and died in November 2010 . He had worked in South African mines and later came back home in 1977 to assume the chieftainship.

Kgosi Kgakanyane Sebina described the late as a true leader who knew what his people wanted and he had done a lot to unite the Bakalanga of Nswazwi.

He further said he was happy for what his family had done in remembrance of the late Kgosi.

Another speaker from Tutume Mr Alphonse Nsala, stated that he started to know Kgosi Mathafeni whilst still working for the Ministry of Agriculture and knew him out of developments he has done for the Nswazwi people.

Kgosi Christopher Masunga told the gathering that he met the late Kgosi Mathafeni in 1991 when he (Kgosi Masunga) was being installed as a Kgosi.

“He gave a word of advice to me that I should follow the customary laws in order for me to be appreciated by people. Kgosi Mathafeni was a hero and I do remember him with what he has done and his spirit continues to live on,” he said.

Another speaker, Mr Lenyatso Gobela from Mosetse stated that he had worked together with Kgosi Mathafeni in organising the exhuming of the remains of the first Kgosi of Nswazwi, the late John Madawu Nswazwi and the repatriation of Bakalanga from Jetcheni in Zimbabwe to be brought to their ancestral land in Botswana.

Mr Gobela said that Kgosi Mathafeni played an important role in this exercise and his son Kuswani Mathafeni said that his father was a visionary, a teacher and a disciplinarian who taught them to respect the law. Ends