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Bakgatla-ba-Kgafela Clan — History & Meaning
Tswana clan · Setswana
Totem Vervet monkey (kgabo / nkwe in some accounts; the Bakgatla totem is the monkey, kgabo in Setswana)
History & origin
A major Kgatla section descended from Kgafela. Their traditional capital in South Africa is Moruleng (Saulspoort) on the north-eastern edge of the Pilanesberg, North West Province, where they have lived since the early 1800s when Kgosi Pilane settled them at Mmasebudule on the Elands River. Under Kgosi Kgamanyane, after conflict with the Boer authorities (notably forced labour under Paul Kruger), a large part of the people moved north across what became the colonial border into present-day Botswana, settling at Mochudi in the Kgatleng District. To this day the Bakgatla-ba-Kgafela exist as two branches split across the South Africa/Botswana border, sharing common ancestry, culture and the Mochudi/Moruleng royal lineage. The South African branch is well known for substantial platinum-mining land and revenue around the Pilanesberg.
Associated surnames
Surnames that share this clan: Pilane, Kgafela, Kgamanyane, Linchwe, Mmusi.
We publish the full diboko (clan praises) only once we can verify them against documented tradition — for this clan they are still being confirmed. If you can share an authoritative version, corrections are warmly welcomed.