Toto Makgolokwe was the paramount chief (

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 ...

) of the Batlharo tribe 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 ...

, dubbed the Freedom Warrior and an icon of the land whose resistance to colonization galvanized the freedom struggle. In 1897, he became the hero of The Langeberg Rebellion (1896–97) after defeating the British military. The British subsequently brought in reinforcements which defeated the Batlharo (Batswana tribe) and captured both Makgolokwe and

Kgosi Galeshewe Kgosi (Chief) Galeshewe, (c. 1835 - 1924), was a chief of the Batlhaping group in South Africa. He was an anti-colonial revolutionary and orchestrated rebellions against the Cape Colony government. The Galeshewe Township in the Sol Plaatje Mun ...

. Kgosi Toto's eldest son Robanyane Toto was also arrested with him at

Robben Island Robben Island ( af, Robbeneiland) is an island in Table Bay, 6.9 kilometres (4.3 mi) west of the coast of Bloubergstrand, north of Cape Town, South Africa. It takes its name from the Dutch word for seals (''robben''), hence the Dutch/Afrik ...

. Toto was convicted for protecting and sheltering Galeshewe. Toto died at Robben Island and Kgosi Galeshewe died at

Magogong Magogong is a rural village in Greater Taung Municipality in the North West Province 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 coa ...

, Phokwane, Taung in 1927 after over 20 years in prison at different intervals. Most of the Batlharo tribe reside in and around

Kuruman Kuruman is a small town with just over 53,000 inhabitants in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. It is known for its scenic beauty and the Eye of Kuruman, a geological feature that brings water from deep underground. The abundance of water ...

John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality John Taolo Gaetsewe (formerly Kgalagadi) is one of the five districts of the Northern Cape province of South Africa. The seat of the authority is Kuruman. The majority of its 176,899 people speak Setswana (2001 Census). The district code is DC45. ...

. The other Batlharo people live in

Namibia Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...

, after vacating when the Langenberg war began.

References

* * Oral testimonial by Kgosi J. B. Toto interviewed by Kabelo Morutinyane

References

See also