Leruo Tshekedi Molotlegi (born 1968) is the 36th ''

kgosi A (; ) is the title for a hereditary leader of a Tswana people, Batswana tribe. Usage The word "kgosi" is a Tswana language, Setswana term for "king" or "chief". Various affixes can be added to the word to change its meaning: adding the prefix ...

'', or king, of the

Royal Bafokeng Nation The Royal Bafokeng Islamic State insurgency in Iraq (2017–present), is the ethnic homeland of the Bafokeng people, a Setswana-speaking traditional community. The monarchy covers in the North West (South African province), North West Province ...

. The Bafokeng nation is located in North West Province of the

Republic of South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

Biography

Molotlegi has served as ''Kgosi'' since 2000, when he succeeded his brother, Mollwane Lebone II Molotlegi. Molotlegi's official

enthronement An enthronement is a ceremony of inauguration, involving a person—usually a monarch or religious leader—being formally seated for the first time upon their throne. Enthronements may also feature as part of a larger coronation rite. ...

was not held until 16 August 2003. 3,000 Bafokeng people attended the coronation, which was held at the

Royal Bafokeng Stadium The Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace is a football, rugby and athletics stadium in Phokeng near Rustenburg, South Africa. It was built and is managed by the Royal Bafokeng Nation. It was used as the home stadium for Premier Soccer League club Plati ...

Phokeng Phokeng is a town in Rustenburg of the North West province of South Africa. It is the capital of the Royal Bafokeng Nation. Historically, it was known as ''Magatostad'' among white South Africans. Etymology Phokeng gained its name from the Sesoth ...

, South Africa. Molotlegi is the son of Kgosi Lebone Edward Molotlegi and Queen Semane Molotlegi, Queen Mother of the Bafokeng. He had five siblings: three brothers and two sisters. Two older brothers are deceased. In addition to being the head of the House of Molotlegi, he is also a matrilineal descendant of the Khama dynasty of

Botswana Botswana (, ), officially the Republic of Botswana ( tn, Lefatshe la Botswana, label=Setswana, ), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory being the Kalahar ...

. His grandfather, Chief

Tshekedi Khama Tshekedi Khama (17 September 1905 – 10 June 1959) was the regent-king of the Bamangwato tribe in 1926 after the death of Sekgoma II. Background Tshekedi Khama was born in Serowe, the son of Khama III, known as Khama the Great, by his fourth wi ...

, was

regent A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...

of the Bamangwato tribe during the reign of Sir

Seretse Khama Sir Seretse Goitsebeng Maphiri Khama, GCB, KBE (1 July 1921 – 13 July 1980) was a Motswana politician who served as the first President of Botswana, a post he held from 1966 to his death in 1980. Born into an influential royal fam ...

, his nephew. He is a former member of the board of Impala Platinum Holdings (Implats), and now sits in the newly established Royal Bafokeng Holdings (RBH) as a non-Executive Director. RBH is a wholly owned Bafokeng company. The ''Kgosi'' is also the president of the Mineral Rights Association of Indigenous People of South Africa and was one of the principal negotiators in the new mining legislation, which seeks to encourage significant black participation. He is an alumnus of Hilton College in

KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN and known as "the garden province") is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu) and Natal Province were merged. It is locate ...

, South Africa. He holds a university degree in Architecture and Urban Planning from Natal University. He is a keen sportsman and was awarded a Victor Ludorum Gold Medallion at Hilton. He is a fixed wing and rotorcraft pilot and has been appointed as an Honorary Colonel in the South African Air Force. In 2011, he was an invited guest to the

wedding A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage vo ...

Albert II, Prince of Monaco Albert II – Website of the Palace of Monaco (Albert Alexandre Louis Pierre Grimaldi; born 14 March 1958) is Prince of Monaco, since 2005. Albert was born at the Prince's Palace of Monaco, and he is the second child and only son of Prince Rai ...

, to South African swimmer,

Charlene Wittstock Charlene (' Charlene Lynette Wittstock; French: ''Charlène'';Since her marriage, her name has been Gallicised by adding a grave accent to her name in French documents. born 25 January 1978) is the princess consort of Monaco and a former Olympic ...

References

Living people 1968 births Bafokeng monarchs People from North West (South African province) Alumni of Hilton College (South Africa) University of Natal alumni {{Africa-royal-stub