25 Nov 2018

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has commended Barolong Bo-Seleka Ba Ga Moroka of Matsiloje in the North East District for reviving the spirit of self-reliance.

He was speaking at the centenary celebration of Matsiloje on Saturday.

The celebrations also marked official opening of the kgotla shelter.

President Masisi said the kgotla shelter was built through community service without funding from government.

He urged other tribes to emulate Barolong-Bo-Seleka in embracing the spirit of self-reliance for the country to attain desired levels of development.

Dr Masisi said Barolong of Matsiloje were peace loving people who fled Ndebele wars to finally settle in Botswana

He said Botswana was a shelter of peace having provided freedom to many people who felt oppressed in their native lands.

He said it was painful to hear that the Barolong-Bo-Seleka had bought the plot that Matsiloje now stands.

This was after one of the village elders, Mr Joel Mpetsane, had told the President that Matsiloje sat on a plot that the villagers bought from Tati Company and were cheated during the process.

On other issues, the President said just like any other Batswana, Barolong-Bo-Seleka were pastoral farmers even though they did not have enough farming land.

He added that the other serious challenge farmers faced was that of elephants which destroyed their fields.

However, the President explained that government was addressing issues of human and animal conflict adding that government intended to come up with a national action plan.

He said the issue of elephants in the Matopi cluster area was exacerbated by construction of Dikgatong Dam because elephants were drawn to areas with water.

He explained that government was considering to electrify the Matopi cluster area to prevent movement of animals across the border with Zimbabwe.

In his welcome remarks,  kgosi of Matsiloje, Kgosi Eric Moipolai, informed the President that the kgotla shelter was made possible through community service and donations from residents.

Dr Serai Rakgoasi, a lecturer at the department of population studies at University of Botswana narrated the history of the village, revealing how the inhabitants of Matsiloje came to be in that area.

He said the village founders were Barolong Bo-Seleka Ba Ga Moroka from Thaba Nchu, South Africa under paramount chief James Moroka, after fleeing from Ndebele of Chief Mzilikazi in South Africa.

They sought temporary refuge in the imperial reserve in Bophuthatswana.

The village is a now an amalgam of groupings of Barolong, Ndebele, Kalanga and others.

They left their home in 1833 with so many stop overs until they reached Matsiloje in 1916, with Spiritual Healing Church under the leadership of Jacob Mokaleng as their unifying force. Ends