Mmanthatisi

In the midst of the Mfecane/Difaqane wars - a period of mass migration, Mmanthatisi used her power, dedication, bravery and staunch character to keep her people together, despite the frequent raids by the Nguni group.

She was the daughter of Mothaha, a chief of the Basia tribe,[a] and was born in what is now South Africa's Free State province, in the area of the present-day town of Harrismith.

In the praise songs of these people of the Wild Cat, it was said that “their shields dried outside in the field of battle, and not in their huts, where they remained wet with blood.

[5]The Batlokwa (Ma-Ana Nkwe) are a breakway branch of the Bakgatla clan of the Bantu-speaking Sotho-Tswana communities which originated from the Great Lakes and Northern Central Africa.

During the time of Kgosi Mokotjo (the husband of Mmanthatisi), the Batlokwa lived in Nkwe (also spelled Nkoe) and then later moved to Sefate.

[3] This area Nkwe/Sefate in Verkykerskop near Harrismith (Thaba-Nchu) which was occupied by Batlokwa, was declared a provincial heritage site in the Free State in 2016.

Mokotjo died following an illness while on a mission to claim the area around Hohobeng from the rival Batlokwa chief – Lebaka.

Sehalahala who's Mokotjo's half brother opposed Mmanthatisi's leadership and felt that she was a foreigner (as she was born a Mosia) and the people wanted to be ruled by a "pure" Motlokwa.

[11] When Sekonyela was old enough for circumcision, Mmanthatisi sent him to her own Basia people, removing him at the last minute from the BaTlokwa ceremony that she had forbidden him to attend in the first place.

Before his death, Mokotjo had forewarned Mmanthatisi to beware of the older sons of his father's second wife – Moepi and Sehalahala - who had threatened his life when he was a child.

This and other victories led to an alliance with the Hlubi people, and an attack on the territory of Moshoeshoe (who would later become the first paramount chief of Basutolandi).

[15] During her regency, Mmanthatisi ruled over 40 000 people, exercising the duties of a chief, consulting elders for advice, advancing her military and political authority and adjudicating disputes.

[17] Famous for her intelligence, one time when her soldiers were away, Mmanthatisi prevented an attack by gathering all the women together and forming them in ranks in front of the camp.

Mpangazitha had hoped to find the camp defenceless, however this new discovery caused him to halt the mission and make a fresh plan.

Her victory run would end in the Battle of Dithakong when, on 23 June 1823, she suffered a massive defeat which was recorded by Robert Moffat in his diary near present-day Kuruman.

Peter Becker[19] describes the developments in one of his works when he states that: The battle of Dithakong was fought between Manthatisi hordes and Batlhaping with the help of the Griqua.

The epic battle that took almost seven hours, was recorded by Robert Moffat on 23 June 1823 where the BaThlaping found themselves threatened by thousands of Batlokwa/Basotho of Mmanthatisi – the Phuting and the Hlakwana.

[20] The Basotho suffered terrible casualties were forced to flee, a devastating and a first loss for Mmanthatisi after obliterating almost 29 tribes since leaving Harrismith at the start of Difaqane.

In her march back into the present day Free State, Mmanthatisi forced Bataung and Bafokeng across the Lekwa (Vaal) River.

Although portrayed as an evil woman by some contemporary Europeans, Mmanthatisi was a strong, capable and popular leader; both in war and peace.

Unlike other chiefs who fell victim to the Difaqane Wars, she successfully kept her people together in the midst of frequent raids by Nguni groups to the south.

[21] Jwala-Boholo – Majestic Mountain – located East of Ficksburg in the Free State was first occupied by a branch of the Bakoena tribe, known as Marabe.