Sekhukhune rich heritage: A good story to tell
SEKHUKHUNE
When exploring trails of heritage sites of Sekhukhune District Municipality (SDM), one can find plenty of tourism destinations significant to the rich history and culture of people of the region, drawing visitors who are eager to explore multiple historic sites.
One of the most frequent visited places is the Kgoshi Mapuru II Heritage Site, located at Mamone Village near Jane Furse.
The tourism destination was named after kgoshi Mampuru II, the heir to the BaPedi throne who was executed in public, at the Pretoria Central Prison now renamed after him, for public violence, revolt and alleged murder of Sekhukhune I in 1883 by the then Paul Kruger administration.
Then State President, Jacob Zuma, renamed the Pretoria Central Prison after Kgoshi Mampuru II, as part of government’s heritage programme, which includes the restoration of the dignity of the people of South Africa and upgrading and declaration of historic sites to ensure a more representative and inclusive South African history and heritage.
The statue of Kgoshi Mampuru II was erected in Mamone Village next the Royal House and it remains one of the tourism attraction in Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality (MLM).
To honor the fallen hero, every year, the South African Government celebrate the Annual King Mampuru II Day which is held in Mamone Ga-Sekwati every January.
The event is held to celebrate and honour the memory of Kgosi Mampuru II, who is remembered for his bold stance against colonial domination and his refusal to recognize a repressive and non-representative regime.
Thousands of people coming across the country and from neighbouring countries converge to commemorate the day, which promotes tourism and contributes to the district’s economy.
The day is marked with traditional dances, speeches from Kings and officials from across the country and music celebrations.
Another tourism destinations in the district is the renowned Tsate Heritage Site, located in the Fetakgomo-Tubatse Local Municipality (FTLM), which is regarded as the most recognised site in Sekhukhune as a whole.
Since it was officially unveiled as a provincial heritage site, Tsate has attracted a lot of attention from international movie stars to the history researchers who paid homage to the place.
The heritage site is marked with a statue of King Sekhukhune housed in this area at Ntsoaneng Village, making the tourism attraction remain significant to the Bapedi Nation in the entire Sekhukhune District.
Tourism enthusiasts will also have a mind-blowing adventurous activities when visiting Hlako Tisane Heritage Site, located at Ga-Tsiane in MLM. The area is marked with various caves leading to Matjeding fortress, which were used to be homes and places of shelter to the local communities during domestic and boer wars. The Matjeding fortress has a height of two meters at the entrance and could accommodate up to a hundred people.
Hlako Tsiane Heritage Site, also offers fresh and fascinating lessons on the lives of the BaPedi people, where visitors can explore the area to find previously undiscovered rock arts and secret caves.
Located in Leolo Mountains near Jane Furse, the Mabhetle Cultural Village is the perfect place to learn about the history heritage, traditions and lifestyle of the Swati people. Annually, cultural celebration events are held to showcase traditional clothing, food and dance in the village.
Sekhukhune is also rich with religious heritage sites such as the St Manche Masemola Grave Site which was occupied by missionaries many years ago. Located at Ga-Marishane Village within MLM, the historic St Manche Masemola Grave Site bears a story of a Christian martyr, Manche Masemola, born in 1913, who was killed by her parents for being a member of the Anglican Church in 1928.
Thousands of the Anglican Church members flock to this site each year to commemorate the life of the young martyr.
