Ga Masemola

Ga Masemola
Ga Masemola

 Ga Masemola shown within South Africa

Coordinates: 24°33′07″S 29°37′59″E / 24.552°S 29.633°ECoordinates: 24°33′07″S 29°37′59″E / 24.552°S 29.633°E
Country South Africa
Province Limpopo
District Sekhukhune
Municipality Makhuduthamaga
Area[1]
 • Total 1.45 km2 (0.56 sq mi)
Population (2011)[1]
 • Total 1,457
 • Density 1,000/km2 (2,600/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[1]
 • Black African 99.9%
 • Other 0.1%
First languages (2011)[1]
 • Northern Sotho 98.6%
 • Other 1.4%

Ga Masemola is a village community about 180 KM North East of Pretoria/Tshwane. The area was founded in the 16th century by Masemola, the fourth son of Matlebjane II the great King of Batau.

Batau broke away from mainline Swazi nation around 1100 AD.They then settled at Wakkerstroom and then Seokodibeng, a place that is now called Lake Chrissie. They then left Lake Chrissie (Seokodibeng) going to Mokwena River (which today is called Crocodile River). This is the place that Batau established themselves as a nation outside the mainline Swazi. On these Mpumalanga Mountains, great rivers and valleys, marshes and forests, the placed the hand on it, they placed their mark on it, cleared and plowed and sowed. They built and fought over it. By around this area which is the ancestral land of all Batau all over the world it was to be dwelt by foreign people of European origin long after Batau have moved on. They called the area Dullstroom.

In the 1880s emigration to South Africa was strongly encouraged by president Paul Kruger and support committees were set up throughout the Netherlands. In 1883 a company, under the leadership of Wolterus Dull, was established to strengthen ties between the Netherlands and South Africa. The first settlers from the Netherlands arrived during the period 1884-1887 let by Wolterus Dull. The area was proclaimed as a town in 1892 by Paul Kruger and was originally named Dull's-stroom, later simplified to Dullstroom, after the settlers’ leader Wolterus Dull and the Crocodile River (stream), which flows nearby.

Matlebjane II had five sons. The first son was Seloane, second Mogashoa, third Phaahla, fourth Masemola and lastly Photo. Seloane, Mogashoa, Phaahla and Masemola, got worried that the king’s gifts (dibego) were continuously being taken to the younger king's wife (the mother to Photo). They then all agreed to murder the king, but were worried about what people will say. So they conceived a plan, since Photo was still a teenager, they somehow convinced him that all of them including him Photo should kill the king at night with their spears. But there was a plan Seloane, Mogashoa, Phaahla and Masemola cooked which Photo was not privy to (continue reading to discover this plan).

During that night all the brothers got into the king's resting place and all with their spears stabbed the king and the king died. During the morning Photo discovered that he has been fooled by his brothers. During the stabbing last night Photo discovered that his brother's spears were turned deliberately at the sharp tip and he had killed the king alone. So only his spear had blood while his brother's spears did not have blood as the spears were deliberately blunted. Photo's brothers then cried aloud hysterically with painful voices, that Photo has killed their father. From then on Photo was despised and rejected by the people for having killed his father. The killing of Matlebjane II by his sons is the reason we have these idioms today:

Matlebjane o bolaile ke tswala. Ka hlagolela leokane la re go gola la ntlhaba?

The Batau lived at the Mokwena River for a period spanning 200 years. This was a time of relative peace and stability. Some people believe that their ruins and remains are still visible there in Mokwena (Crocodile) River, Dullstroom.

Ga Masemola surround ga Maphutha village. Maphutha (from swazi name Mabuza), is a brother to Masemola.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Main Place Ga Masemola". Census 2011.