Montshiwa, Mosielele, Edwards And Mmakhutsanyane

Having assembled a core commando of some 430 mounted Boers and about 100 “coloureds”, Commandant General Pieter Scholtz then called upon all of the Dikgosi to meet with him at Groot Marico on July 31, 1852. The purpose of the pitso was to raise additional support for the expedition.

Only one Kgosi, Moilwa of the Bahurutshe at Dinokana, volunteered his men. Thereafter he was known to himself, as well as others, as “a Dog of the Boers.” But, some rulers, such as Mangope of the Bahurutshe booManyana, were seized as hostages to force their people’s cooperation. In this way about 600 Batswana were also dragooned into the commando.