12 Apr 2016

Fort Motloutse is an old colonial cemetery along Bobonong–Molalatau Lekker Poet road about five kilometres from Bobonong in the eastern part of Botswana.

The cemetery contains 40 graves of policemen, military men and civilians of the European missionaries and it is close to a once a thriving settlement and a famed ‘road to the north’ used by European missionaries, traders, explorers and others from the Cape Colony to the interior of Southern Africa in the pre-colonial period of missionary John Cecil Rhodes.

Some of the graves are marked to identify the deceased who are buried in there. Babirwa Kgosi Mmirwa Malema told BOPA in an interview that a lot of things about the historical site (Fort Motloutse) were abandoned and destroyed by people and animals, although some of the remains of some cemeteries were still visible.

He said some aspects of the graves disappeared due to soil erosion or got damaged by people and animals. “Stone walls were used before to protect the cemeteries and during that time it was not enough as the graves continued to be damaged by animals grazing in that area,” said Kgosi Malema.

He said the cemetery was later fenced with a modern fence to prevent animals from entering the cemetery but still it was not enough as animals broke the fence especially during draught seasons to access greener grass inside.

Kgosi Malema said the animals ended up causing soil erosion inside the cemetery and destroying the markings of the graves while grazing.He said some people also have a tendency of opening the gate of the cemetery which is always left unlocked to drive their livestock inside to graze without closing it after.

He said apart from these cemeteries there were buildings near the cemeteries which history tells that they served as offices for communication and a military hospital before.

He said inside these buildings there were iron items like machines, plates, spoons and many more that were abandoned and later taken by people without knowing their historical importance.

Historical items found in historical sites must not be tempered with; rather they should be protected and reported to the relevant authority, he pointed out.

The traditional leader said the buildings were also destroyed by people who settled near them by dislodging bricks to build their own houses.

He said the company that was constructing the Bobonong–Molalatau Road in 1990 also damaged some of the remains of the buildings and the matter was reported to the Botswana National Museum and

Monuments by the village leaders but to this day no action appears to have been taken against the company.

He said today there is a warning board showing that the place is a protected place by the department of museum and monuments but no one is taking care of the place nor controlling the access of the area and how it will be visited as well as prohibiting  people from taking private photographs without permission.

Kgosi said the gate of the cemeteries is never locked and the village leaders are not even aware of the part they should play in protecting the area as the authorities under whom the site falls are not helping with ideas of how this place can be effectively protected.

He said Fort Motloutse is a historical site with a rich history that can attract tourists and it can also be used by village development trusts to generate income and create employment for the people living around this area.

Kgosi Malema appealed to Babirwa and people living near Fort Motloutse historical site to desist from bad practices that can devalue and destroy the site . ENDS