Malebobo-Boer War Battlefields

Kgoši Malebogo was involved in a bitter struggle against the White encroachment on his land towards the end of the 19th century. The Boers, who had established their republic, the ZAR in the north, were determined to subjugate all Black chiefdoms. The then Commissioner for Native Affairs in Zoutpansberg (Nothern) Division, Swart Barend Voster, who was based in Kalkbank, set the stage for the war by insisting that the Bahananwa should meet the ZAR’s demands. The then ZAR president, Paul Kruger,  instructed Commandant-General Piet Joubert to lead the Boer forces to attack the Bahananwa.

Piet Joubert assembled a strong force of the commandos from Rustenburg, Marico, Zoutpansberg as well as the allies of Black chiefdoms such as the Matebele of Langa and the Bakone of Matlala and attacked the Bahanawa. Malebogo put up a very strong resistance, but with such strong force and heavy weaponry against him, he finally surrendered on 31 July 1894. Kgoši Malebogo was taken to Pretoria as prisoner. During his imprisonment, the Bahananwa were ruled by his mother Mmaseketa, Maemeletša and Sephuti. Kgoši Malebogo was released in 1900 during the Anglo-Boer War and he continued to rule his people until his death in 1939