Woman Warrior Queen Manthatisi remembered

By Libuseng Nyaka

QWAQWA – A prominent feature of the legacy of the Queen Manthatisi of the Batlokoa is selfless leadership, which is characterized by leading from the frontline in battles, even when pregnant.This was mentioned by Grandmaster Thau-Thau Haramanuba when he delivered a Manthatisi memorial lecture at Queen Manthatisi Secondary School in Tsheseng ,Qwaqwa on Thursday November 14,2024.

Haramanuba said ultimate vision of the event was to continue the trajectory of the national house, social cohesion, moral regeneration, transformation and all these principles of South Africa.

He highlighted quite a few institutions and businesses named after Manthatisi even though her family was not getting any proceeds.

“For example, there is a submarine in Cape Town named after Manthatisi; there is a Belgian wine named Manthatisi Wine because of ferocity. These are legacies of the Batlokoa royal family that need to get royalties from. They need to follow up on these and one of my research reveals that there is another farm here in Free State named after Queen Manthatisi.

They need to have a say when this name is used to make millions for other people,” Haramanuba lamented .He said most of our Africans’ history was not written by Africans because they never wrote anything down.

“We never wrote anything down, so we went to white people and told them where we came from and in the process our history was distorted. That is why they are telling contradictory stories about us, a clear indication that tales of a lion will always be told by the hunter. The lion needs to tell own his tales.”

While giving background on how Manthatisi ascended to the throne, Haramanuba said Queen Manthatisi ascension to the throne was by force.

“Manthatisi who was a regent for her son Sekonyela, fought for the throne even though she was not in a linage of kings, but she did that to protect her son’s inheritance who was only a minor when his father Kgosi Mokotjo died. She reigned from 1813 until 1824 when her son Sekonyela took over.

“The path to the throne was owned by a trade of blood, since she was not in line by birth, she took it with a warrior’s spirit. She was a warrior, and her people were called the ‘Wild Cat People’ or ‘Basia’.”

Born Monyaduoa, Manthatisi had three children with her husband Kgosi Mokotjo. Besides Morena Sekonyela, Manthatisi had a daughter as her first child. Nthatisi whom she was named after as is the culture of Basotho to name a woman after her first child; later she had another son Mota.

Echoing his sentiments Department of Cultural and Political Studies at the University of Limpopo Prof Sekgothe Mokgoantsana said respect for Manthatisi is laudable because it teaches people that we should respect women.

“We should also break with the traditions of men and allow women to be able to take leadership as she demonstrated with her skills under very adverse conditions where she was tormented by people who complained about her, calling her an outside in her own village. Her knowledge of herbs is not something negative, every African should know herbs. If you do not know herbs from your village, you want to import herbs from England called Panado.”

The chairperson of the National House of Traditional and Khoi-san leaders Kgosi Thabo Milton Seatlholo described how the Manthatisi memorial lecture came about.

“We agreed to look for people who deserve to be profiled but are not necessarily known by the general public. We then learned the history of Queen Manthatisi and how she protected the throne on behalf of her son and how she fought for the land as daughter-in-law of the Batlokoa. So we thought we should share that with the public and South Africa at large.”

Kgosi’s Seatlolo hailed the lecture as different because guest speakers spoke from an indigenous perspective.

In his closing remarks, Morena e Moholo oa Batlokoa Montoeli Mota thanked all the orgnizers and those who contributed to ensure the memorial lecture becomes a success.

“I would like to thank the National House of Traditional Leaders who approached me about this initiative and also deputy minister for gracing us with your presence sir. Thank you our executive mayor and all chiefs as well as those who passed messages of support.”