08 Mar 2022

At first glance, the three hills lying on the North-Eastern side of Molapowabojang village appear as a landscape-enhancing feature like many others in the Southern district.

However, Motsenekatse hills, named after Matebele leader Mzilikazi bears a rich history that has attracted attention from historians, scholars and tourists, among others.

Even though the monument is named after the biggest of the three hills, which is situated on the Western side just off the Kgomokasitwa gravel road, the smaller Mmadithakwana is the one believed to have been the main abode for Mzilikazi while his troops sandwiched him and elevated atop Motsenekatse and Motsenekatsana on either side, with the intention to spot enemies from afar. Despite this, all three sections of the historical site have a story to tell, one common denominator being that the place is regarded as sacred hence people from all walks of life visit for spiritual and rituals purposes.

It therefore does not come as a surprise when the guides, Ms Omphemetse Olefhile and Ms Marea Seleka insist on bowing and connecting with the spirits before climbing the hills.

“This is a highly spiritual area and many people throng the place for spiritual cleansing and other things associated with their faith.

We often host people of different churches, traditional doctors and even individuals who come here for various reasons,” explains Ms Olefhile.

Since this is a sacred place, there is a procedure to be followed and the place is only accessible in the morning until around 1100 and in the afternoon around 3pm, reveals Ms Olefhile.

After working around the area for many years, the two guides have become accustomed to the place hence they can sense any form of resistance when the spirits are not appeased.

The harsh weather conditions experienced over the years have failed to completely erase the busy life once lived here, as evidenced by traces of old and broken clay pots found at the foot of Mmadithakwana.

A journey up the hill is characterised by many other findings, entrenched in the greenery emanating from the effects of the current rainy season.

The Mositwane trees have also covered most of the graves around the area, which interestingly are mostly arranged in pairs. The stone walls stand intact in different sizes, surrounded by a lower boundary wall on the lower side of the hill in a curved fashion to mark a homestead.

The black metal pieces on the ground also indicate that the earlier inhabitants were also into welding.

Their long-term cattle herding is also evidenced by deposits of vitrified cow dung, resulting from Iron

Age combustion processes. As an Ndebele king and warrior, Mzilikazi was known for using his status to collect cattle from the locals, hence the Motsenekatse area served as his collecting point.

Even though the place bears a rich history that has over the years commanded attention from various sectors of society, its direct benefit to the local community is yet to be established.

The security and subsequent conservation of the site to ensure sustainability remains at stake, in the absence of fencing.

However, the vice chairperson of the Molapowabojang Community Development Trust, Mr Ontebile Kgomoyarona reveals collaboration plans with the Botswana National Museum, a custodian of the natural heritage sites, to secure the site.

“We are in collaboration with the National Museum and plans are underway to fence the area to avert vandalism that is currently taking place.

Fencing will also assist in regulating and monitoring visits and ultimately address issues of pollution that has the potential to destroy the natural state of the site,” he explains.

Additionally, he is optimistic that the coordinated visits will ensure the local communities benefit through gate takings which will go towards developmental projects. ENDS