Ga-Molepo
Ga-Molepo | |
|---|---|
  Ga-Molepo | |
| Coordinates: 24°01′59″S 29°47′56″E / 24.033°S 29.799°ECoordinates: 24°01′59″S 29°47′56″E / 24.033°S 29.799°E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Limpopo |
| District | Capricorn |
| Municipality | Polokwane |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.43 km2 (2.10 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
| • Total | 4,048 |
| • Density | 750/km2 (1,900/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 99.9% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Northern Sotho | 91.6% |
| • English | 5.5% |
| • Other | 2.9% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Area code | 015 |
Ga-Molepo is a town in Capricorn District Municipality in the Limpopo province of South Africa.
Molepo means a place or a moment of relaxation. The language spoken by the majority in Ga Molepo is Sesotho sa Leboa. Ga Molepo is made up of over thirty villages, the main one is called Boshega where (Kgoshi ya Ditlou, literally king of elephants) Chief Molepo's palace is situated at the foot of the Lebopo mountains.
Historical background[]
The Molepo's are Kalanga (bakgalaka) who separated with Chief Makgoba at mount Kgatla, and settled at the Royal Capital of Boshega. Upon their arrival they found the Makubu clan led by Molelemane Maloka.[2]
Geography[]
Ga-Molepo is surrounded by big Lebopo mountains (Lebopo means Border) and through it runs several rivers: Hlabashane, Mphogodiba, Mokgotla and Mmamatebele.
Religion in Ga Molepo[]
Although the majority of people in Ga Molepo believe in African Traditional Religion, the town's leadership has always been open to people from different religions. Apart from welcoming the arrival of the Roman Catholic Church missionaries, who settled at Subiaco Mission in Ga Rampheri, the leadership of Ga Molepo has been in contact with missionaries from as far as the Kingdom of Lesotho as early as 1873.[3]
Tourist attractions[]
It is the home of the biggest ZCC church situated at one of the villages called Boyne, one of the villages is Ga-Rampheri where there is a big dam in the Mphogodiba River. The people of Ga-Molepo mostly depend on subsistence farming although rainfall is sparse.
Notable residents[]
John Mpe[]
It is the home to John Mpe the incumbent mayor of Capricorn district municipality.
Phaswane Mpe[]
Ga Molepo is also home to the late author of Welcome to Our Hillbrow[4]: a novel which deals with issues of xenophobia, AIDS, tradition, and inner city status in the Hillbrow neighborhood of post-apartheid Johannesburg. Phaswane Mpe was also a lecturer of African Literature at the University of the Witwatersrand.
References[]
- ^ a b c d "Main Place Ga-Molepo". Census 2011.
- ^ Mpe, J.K. (1942). "Ba Molepo history (written in Northern Sotho)". Pretoria: University of Pretoria. Available at: https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/72025. (accessed 14 May 2021).
- ^ Leselinyana La Lesutho (published as LESELINYANA LA LESOTHO) (November 1, 1873). "LETLOHO TSA LITABA: Tsa Moea - Tsa Leeto La Bopeli - Sekolo sa Batlankana - Mosebetsi oa molimo - Potso ya pulungoana". World Newspaper Archive (in Southern Sotho). Moria, Lesotho.
- ^ Mpe, P. 2001. Welcome to Our Hillbrow. KwaZulu Natal: University of Natal Press.
Municipalities and communities of Capricorn District Municipality, Limpopo | ||
|---|---|---|
District seat: Polokwane | ||
| Blouberg |  | |
| Molemole | ||
| Polokwane | ||
| Lepelle-Nkumpi | ||
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- Populated places in the Polokwane Local Municipality
- Limpopo geography stubs