Some pristine heritage sites around Semolale and Mabolwe

The area around Semolale and Mabolwe villages in eastern Botswana has many significant heritage sites. The list ranges from rainmaking shrines to historic ruins associated with the Mfecane, prehistoric ruins of the Bakalanga state of Butua and some Stone Age period sites.

There are also scenic gorges, granite kopjes and unique water holes that are locally known as Maghopo in Sebirwa. This paper discusses some of the outstanding heritage sites that were visited by the writer and colleagues in February 2010. The purpose of this visit was to survey heritage sites with potential for tourism development in the area. The exercise formed part of an ongoing project aimed at assisting local communities to benefit economically from natural and cultural resources found in their areas. My responsibility was to lead the team in exploration of these sites and make an assessment of their needs.

The expedition was quite interesting due to a number of reasons. The team itself was made up of different characters. Two trusted drivers made up of the reserved Neo Modisaotsile and the well-known extrovert, Rre Direlang, made our journey quite interesting. Ricky Moseki, the team's informed historian, never failed to impress us with his calculated stories detailing the origins and names of each of the villages that we passed on our way. 

Editor's Comment
Batswana need to do better to stop FMD

It is a clear signal that the government’s purse is empty and that our own behaviour has left veterinary officials fighting with one hand tied behind their backs. We have been here before. During COVID-19, many of us thought we knew better. We ignored simple rules, we carried on as if the danger was someone else’s problem, and the virus took lives and left our economy on its knees. We are still broke from that experience. Yet now, with FMD...

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