The Guns Of Dimawe (II)
Monday, June 05, 2017
Although Sechele’s six-pounder would have been the largest cannon present, in terms of quantity and tactical usage the Boers appear to have had the advantage in artillery. Besides effectively hitting the Batswana defences with coarse shot from their cannonade they were also able to pin down the defenders with smaller swivel cannon. From a September 16, 1852 report by the Rev. Robert Moffat, based on eyewitness accounts:
“The Boers found means of setting fire to the town, when the hill in the centre became enveloped in heat & smoke, when a scene of confusion ensued easier conceived then described. This decided the fate of the Bakuenas, who found their efforts to defend themselves against such a force crippled by the smoke that enveloped them.
March 28 will go down as a day that Batswana will never forget because of the accident that occurred near Mmamatlakala in Limpopo, South Africa. The tragedy affected not only the grieving families but the nation at large. Batswana throughout the process stood behind the grieving families and the governments of Botswana and South Africa need much more than a pat on the back.Last Saturday was a day when family members said their last goodbyes to...