Ancestral Profile: The Makgolokwe-a-Mafehleng
The Makgolokwe-a-Mafehleng are a historically significant subgroup within the Bakgatla ba Tabane lineage, one of the prominent branches of the broader Bakgatla people.
Origins and Migration
Around 1820, during a time of intense political upheaval and migration in Southern Africa, a group of Makgolokwe warriors was tasked with protecting the young Prince Sebobane. This followed the violent deaths of his father, Kgosana Selotolotsa, and grandfather, Morena Polane the son of Morena Tsholedi. Fleeing to Tshwenyane (modern-day Heidelberg) with infact Kgosana Sebobane and his mother, they left behind their women and children at Thaba Kgolokwe, where the Makgolokwe had lived for over two centuries.
Driving their cattle, they traced the right bank of the Vaal River until they reached Tshwenyane, the home of their Baphuting cousins. Some of the Makgolokwe men married Baphuting women there, but they later returned to Thaba Kgolokwe to fetch their families, reuniting the community in Tshwenyane.
By 1830, when Sebobane turned 15, the group relocated to Ha Nkokoto, settling at Thabatshotsho (Deneysville) among neighboring groups: the Bahlakoana, Bakwena, and Bafokeng. Their new home lay near what is today the entrance to Deneysville. By 1833, when Sebobane came of age at 18, he was installed as the first Morena (chief) of this faction, which became known thereafter as the Makgolokwe-a-Mafehleng.
The Name and Leadership Legacy
Morena Sebobane I was also known by the names Tshwalatsa and Sepalama Phiri—the latter meaning “rider of the hyena”—in recognition of his legendary lone hunting skills. Much like a solitary hyena, Sebobane hunted with stealth, adaptability, and relentless persistence. Lone hyenas are known to stalk, ambush, and chase prey over long distances, combining intelligence with strategic precision. Sebobane’s mastery of such tactics earned him deep respect and his evocative title.
The name Mafehleng refers to the lands around Noka ya Leqhwa—the ancient name for the Vaal River, famed for its churning tributaries that created foamy waters and, in winter, froze over into thick ice (hence, “River of Ice”). Over time, the Makgolokwe-a-Mafehleng settled permanently in the village of Thabatshotsho, maintaining a distinct identity alongside neighboring clans like the Bahlakoana ba Nkokoto and the Bakoena ba Nkokoto. Notably, the Bafokeng departed—whether due to tensions with the Bahlakoana or the pressures of the arriving Voortrekkers. The colonial-era partitioning of the village’s heartland hints at the deep rifts that had existed between these clans.
Historical Recognition and Challenges
While colonial-era records and some later accounts (The History of Deneysville) sometimes mistakenly identified the Makgolokwe-a-Mafehleng as Khoikhoi, oral traditions have firmly preserved their roots in the Bakgatla ba Tabane lineage, along with their diboko (totems), praise names, and enduring customs.
Based on historical accounts, these people departed from the area, though neither the exact timeline nor the direction of their movement was documented. What remains clear is that the descendants of Sebobane I are now dispersed across South Africa and neighboring Lesotho. Since the name Makgolokwe is not a seboko but rather a designation for a nation, it stands to reason that Makgolokwe-a-Mafehleng may have adopted various diboko while continuing to use Makgolokwe as their collective identity.
Under Morena Sebobane I’s leadership, the group honored its Bakgatla heritage while charting a distinct course in their adopted homeland. Despite the trials of land dispossession, shifting political frontiers, and the disruptions of the colonial and apartheid periods, the Makgolokwe-a-Mafehleng have safeguarded their cultural identity, leadership structures, and historical memory. In 1845, Morena Sebobane and Kgosatsana Nkaledi, the daughter of Morena Nkokoto, had a child named Morake. However, as their union did not lead to a traditional Sotho marriage, Kgosana Morake assumed his grandfather’s name, Mohlakona as his seboko according to tradition.
The Royal House and Rediscovery
The Royal House Assembly of Morake (RHA Morake), from which the South African Sebobane clan originates, holds a significant place in this history. As previously mentioned, this house was integrated into Bahlakoana ba Nkokoto, adopting the Kwena (crocodile) emblem and the seboko (clan praise name) Mohlakoana. For generations, this historical transition was preserved solely through oral tradition.
Morake Sebobane’s sons were Mabusa Boesak Sebobane (born 1866, died 1948), Moorosi Johannes Sebobane (born 1868, died 1947), and Bulu Petrus Sebobane (born 1870, died 1956). Mabusa Boesak Sebobane was laid to rest on a farm in the Reitz district in 1948, while Moorosi and Bulu were buried in Alexandra township, Johannesburg, in 1947 and 1956, respectively.
In 2004, the descendants of Mabusa Boesak Sebobane reestablished contact with the descendants of Tshele Sebobane, who had been forcibly relocated to Leribe, Lesotho, along with other Makgolokwe-a-Mafehleng during the Voortrekker upheavals (circa 1860–1902). This reconnection marked a crucial step in reclaiming the ancestral narrative and reconstructing the fragmented lineage of the Makgolokwe-a-Mafehleng. In 2021, they also reestablished contact with the descendants of Kgabele and are now working towards reviving the kingdom of Bahlakoana ba Nkokoto. However, apart from the living descendants of Morena Nkokoto through his daughter Kgosatsana Keledi and Morena Sebobane I, there is no recorded history or oral tradition documenting any other surviving descendants of Morena Nkokoto.
However, preserving the Kwena emblem and Mohlakoana praise name does not sever Morake descendants’ ties to their Bakgatla and Makgolokwe heritage. As the Royal House Assembly of Morake, we stand at a profound crossroads, carrying within us the intertwined lineages of both the Makgolokwe (Bakgatla) and the Bahlakoana. Yet, at the deepest level, both ultimately trace their origins back to the Barolong, underscoring the profound and shared ancestral heritage that binds us together.
A New Chapter: Reuniting Descendants
Today, determined efforts are underway to reunite the scattered descendants of Morena Sebobane I, bridging divides born of historical displacements, colonial disruptions, and geographic separation. Through these efforts, we aim to:
✅ Honor the enduring legacy of our ancestors
✅ Rebuild and restore familial bonds
✅ Preserve and celebrate the rich cultural and historical identity of the Makgolokwe-a-Mafehleng and Bahlakoana ba Nkokoto.
Known Royal Houses of Sebobane
RHA Morake: Located in South Africa, this lineage bears the Sebobane clan name and Mohlakoana as their praise name. They reside in Thabatshotsho, Phuthaditjhaba, Sebokeng, Katlehong, and Johannesburg, including Soweto and Alexandra.
RHA Tshele: Found in both Lesotho and South Africa, they carry the Sebobane clan name and Makgolokwe as their praise name. Their presence is mainly in Leribe, as well as in South African towns such as Ficksburg, Bloemfontein, Phuthaditjhaba, Wesselsbron, and others.
RHA Kgabele: Based in South Africa, they are identified by the Moloi clan name and Makgolokwe as their praise name.
Interestingly, a village in Kuruman, Northern Cape Province, known as Ga-Sehubane, has come to our attention—its existence was previously unknown to us. The name itself appears to be a phonetic variant of Sebobane, similar to Sebubane, Sibubane, or Sebobana. Additionally, historical records mention Toto Makgolokwe, the Kgosi of Batlharo, who resided in Kuruman during the 1890s. These names all seem to trace back to Sebobane I. Further research is necessary to fully unravel this historical puzzle and the connections between these names.