The birth of Matabola Kingdom

The kingdom was founded by Piletši Matabola in the 18^th century.

Piletši Matabola was born in the year 1815. He later married Mmakgabo    Mashao in the year 1844 and four years later in 1848, the couple were blessed with a son named Bob Mebe.  The year 1865 was the birth year of another son named Piet.  The royal family of Matabola resided at a farm called Mabare, which was known as Kafferbos farm no: 563LS.  The farm was very fertile and it was used for cultivation of crops and grazing lands for the livestock.  

Piletši Matabola was a pragmatic leader who commanded various battlefields in the 18^th century.  He was a brave fighter and being mastered the art of war, no one ever considered engaging with his group.  In 1839, he was endorsed to be the leader of the Bahula people because of his battlefield achievements and being able to speak English and Afrikaans languages fluently.  That granted him authority over everyone that resided in the neighbouring farms including farm Mabare.

As a leader of the Bahula people and with military system being introduced to the native people, Piletši appointed his first son Bob Mebe to undergo military training.  This was a preparation for Bob to be the future leader of the Bahula People and to have the advanced training as the phase of the battlefield was transforming.  In 1886 Bob Matabola was recruited in the military training.  Through his skills and ability to interpret military strategies, Bob was promoted in 1900 to be the military commander of Pietersburg District of Transvaal.

As many white communities were pouring into the northern region of the country, they started introducing new laws that were disadvantaging the native communities and adding restrictions of movements.  But that negative factor did not demoralize Bob to go into talks with the white communities.  Agreements were reached that the two races will coexist.  Bob Matabola used a strategy of moving his people into the abandoned farms, so that he could have a vast land to rule.

Through that coordinated movement, he moved from farm Mabare to the new farm Persie 982 which was commissioned to be the headquarter of other farms.  In the year 1918 he ordered all farms to officially report to farm Persie 982 as their headquarter for all their land and traditional related affairs.  In 1920 people started paying taxes at farm Persie 982 offices and everything was recorded.  But because money was not the only medium of trade in those years, people opted to pay with fire woods, livestock, crops, grains and many more.

In the year 1923 Bob Matabola went to the government offices in Pietersburg to officially introduce his people to the government and also to apply for land ownership.  In 1924 his application to buy land was successful and he together with his council bought farm Persie 982 which is known as 200LS today.  The purchase was facilitated by the land commissioner, also had power of attorney and obtained approval at the master of high court in Cape town.

Because farm Persie 982 was large scale land, Bob Matabola with his council divided the farm into portions or regions and gave each region the responsibility.  The official registration of farm Persie 982 under the name of Bob Matabola was done in 1938 when the tittle deed of that land was issued.  It was then requested that all farmers that were under farm Persie 982 to hand their farms to Bob Matabola as the prime owner of the land. In the year 1940, the northern people started applying for work and travel permits at the offices of Matabola Local Authority.  The office catered Ellisras (Laphalale), Louistrichard (Makhado) and many other neighboring places.

It was witnessed that people who obtained travel and work permits from the offices of Matabola Local Authority, were recommended for employments outside the borders of our province than any other local authorities.  In the year 1954, the king rested and the queen, Mankwe Welheminah took care of the kingdom until handing over to the her son Nkwe Moses in the year 1957.  After 21 years of ruling, in 1978 King Nkwe Moses rested and Queen Maphuti Rahab took over the kingdom until handing over to her son Makwena Morris in the year 2006.  For 12 years leading the Bahula people, he rested and Kgabo Abram was appointed as the successor of all kingship of Matabola in 2018 until present. All hail the king of Limpopo, Bahuulaaaa!!!   

For more information on the history of Matabola kingdom contact our head office during work hours.