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Bantwane Clan — History & Meaning

Pedi clan · Sepedi

Totem Crocodile (Sotho/Tswana: Kwena); some lines also cite Tholo (kudu) and Kgabo (monkey). The group is also known as Ba Ma-Thebe (BaThebe).

History & origin

The Bantwane (BaNtwane / Ba Ma-Thebe) are a Sotho-Tswana people based on the Limpopo-Mpumalanga border, in the area of the present-day Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality (around the Loding/KwaNdebele frontier). Their leadership is the Mathebe royal house; Piet Mathebe took office as Kgoshi of the Bantwane in 1992. Long settled near Southern Ndebele neighbours, the Bantwane are noted for distinctive material culture and beadwork while retaining a Sotho-Tswana clan identity.

Associated surnames

Surnames that share this clan: Mathebe, Thebe, Ntwane.

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.

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