BATSWANA STAND 🧍‍♂️ 💪 TALL IN THEIR FOOTSTEP 👣 OF THEIR ANCESTORS

Batswana of the North West and Northern Cape: Stand Tall in the Footsteps of Our Ancestors

Rustenburg. Mahikeng. Zeerust. Taung. Klerksdorp. Kuruman. Kathu. These are not mere places — they are the living testimony of Batswana sovereignty, the ancestral lands where our forefathers established kingdoms, cultivated the soil, raised cattle, and preserved our language and traditions. From the Bahurutshe of Sebogodi Molema, the Barolong of Tau, the Bakgatla of Pilane, the Batlhaping of Phuduhutswana, and many others, these territories were forged through sacrifice, wisdom, and resilience.

Today, however, these lands face a silent crisis. Batswana, the very people whose sweat and blood made this region flourish, are increasingly marginalized — in politics, in economics, in media, and in land ownership. To remain silent in the face of this dispossession is to betray our heritage and the spirits of those who came before us.

Historical Roots of Sovereignty

To understand what is at stake, we must revisit our lineage. When Kgosi Tau of the Barolong passed away in 1670, his heirs — Ratshidi, Ratloo, Seleka, and Rapulana — divided leadership among themselves, spreading Barolong authority across the land. In parallel, the Bahurutshe, under the leadership of Kgosi Moiloa and later Kgosi Sebogodi Molema, expanded northward, resisting both Nguni incursions and Boer expansion. The Batlhaping, descendants of Phuduhutswana, settled along the Vaal and Harts rivers, sustaining strong cattle and trade economies. These were not fragmented chiefdoms but interconnected houses, shaping the destiny of what is today the North West and Northern Cape.

Colonial powers recognized this strength. That is why, from the mid-19th century onwards, land treaties, mining concessions, and forced removals targeted Batswana territory first. Our fertile lands, our mineral-rich soils, and our strategic positions were too valuable to be left in African hands. This is the long arc of dispossession we must never forget.

Rustenburg: The Platinum Heartland

Nowhere is this betrayal clearer than in Rustenburg, home to the richest platinum deposits on earth. Over 70% of the world’s platinum lies beneath Batswana land. Yet, who reaps its rewards? Mining conglomerates and political elites, many of whom are not Batswana. Employment in the mines is structured along exclusionary lines. Hiring practices favour outsiders, while Setswana-speaking youth — the rightful heirs to these resources — are pushed aside.

Outsiders do not hide their intentions. In workplaces, in politics, and in business, there is a clear strategy: occupy leadership, prioritize their own people, and gradually push Batswana out of influence. This is not paranoia; it is lived reality. And yet, if you travel to KwaZulu-Natal or the Eastern Cape, you will not find Batswana dominating leadership in Zulu or Xhosa institutions. They protect their own. Why are we the only people asked to be passive in the face of erasure?

Media, Culture, and Identity: Dilution in Our Own Tongue

Even our cultural voice is under siege. Motsweding FM, a Setswana radio station, should be a citadel of Batswana expression. Yet, some of its key positions are not held by Batswana. Ask yourself: would Ukhozi FM in KwaZulu-Natal ever accept a Motswana as its head? Would Umhlobo Wenene in the Eastern Cape place Setswana above isiXhosa? The answer is no. They guard their voices. Why then do we allow ours to be diluted?

Land, Agriculture, and Tourism: The Battle for Ownership

Our provinces are not only mineral-rich; they are fertile and beautiful. Taung, site of the famous skull discovery, is a global archaeological landmark. The cattle lands of Kuruman and Vryburg once sustained kingdoms. Pilanesberg and Madikwe are world-class tourist destinations. Sun City, built on Batswana land, attracts international visitors. And yet — how many of these farms, lodges, hotels, and reserves are owned by Batswana? Very few. We have become tenants on our own land, while others build empires on our inheritance.

The Root of Our Passivity

The truth is painful but must be said: Batswana have been too accommodating, too passive, too trusting. We take pride in heritage festivals and cultural days, but pride without ownership is empty. Our ancestors resisted Boer commandos, repelled Zulu raids, and negotiated with missionaries not out of passivity but out of survival. They preserved Setswana identity against impossible odds. What excuse do we have today, with education, numbers, and resources at our disposal?

A Roadmap for Reclaiming Our Future

The time has come for action. We must rise,, but with unity, strategy, and unshakable will.

Economic Nationalism for Batswana – Batswana businesses must hire, support, and supply Batswana first. As others empower their people, so must we.

Audit of Power and Wealth – We must demand a full provincial audit: who owns the mines, the farms, the hotels, the radio stations? Who occupies key political posts? Let the truth be written and made public.

Youth Mobilization – Our children must be taught that Setswana is not only a language, but a title deed to land, culture, and resources. They must see themselves as custodians of the inheritance of Tau, Moiloa, Phuduhutswana, and Pilane.

Awakening Traditional Authority – Our dikgosi must rise beyond ceremonial functions. True leadership must defend land, culture, and people. A crown without power is decoration, not stewardship.

Peaceful but Powerful Resistance – We are not calling for bloodshed. We are calling for petitions, boycotts, unity campaigns, and legal challenges. Resistance comes in many forms, but silence must never again be one of them.

A Call to Action

Batswana of the North West and Northern Cape — history is watching us. Our ancestors shed blood for this land. Will we allow it to be lost in boardrooms, ballot boxes, and manipulated contracts? Or will we rise to reclaim what is ours?

This is not a call to hatred, but to self-preservation. We do not seek to diminish others, but to restore ourselves. Our land. Our voice. Our heritage. Our future.

Batswana, the time is now. Enough is enough.