Ga-Molepo
Ga-Molepo is located in Limpopo
Ga-Molepo
Ga-Molepo
Ga-Molepo is located in South Africa
Ga-Molepo
Ga-Molepo
Coordinates: 24°01′59″S 29°47′56″E / 24.033°S 29.799°E / -24.033; 29.799
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceLimpopo
DistrictCapricorn
MunicipalityPolokwane
Area
[1]
 • Total5.43 km2 (2.10 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total4,048
 • Density750/km2 (1,900/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
[1]
 • Black African99.9%
First languages (2011)
[1]
 • Northern Sotho91.6%
 • English5.5%
 • Other2.9%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Area code015

Ga-Molepo is a town in Capricorn District Municipality and Polokwane Local Municipality in the Limpopo province of South Africa.

Molepo means a place or a moment of relaxation. The language spoken by the majority in Ga Molepo is Sesotho sa Leboa. Ga Molepo is made up of over thirty villages, the main one is called Boshega where (Kgoshi ya Ditlou, literally king of elephants) Chief Molepo's palace is situated at the foot of the Lebopo mountains at Moshate.

Historical background

The Molepo's are Kalanga (bakgalaka) who separated with Chief Makgoba at mount Kgatla, and settled at the Royal Capital of Boshega. Upon their arrival they found the bashega clan ruled by sehlapelo sa boshega 'a moshoeshoe and Malone was a chief not king [2]

Geography

Ga-Molepo is surrounded by big Lebopo mountains (Lebopo means Border) and through it runs several rivers: Mphogodiba , Hlabashane, Mokgotla and Mmamatebele.

Religion in Ga Molepo

Although the majority of people in Ga Molepo believe in African Traditional Religion, the town's leadership has always been open to people from different religions especially the Zion Christian Church which is the dominant and a church with a large following. Apart from welcoming the arrival of the Roman Catholic Church missionaries, who settled at Subiaco Mission in Ga Rampheri, the leadership of Ga Molepo has been in contact with missionaries from as far as the Kingdom of Lesotho as early as 1873.[3]

The Dutch reformed church also established a mission station at Bethel village ,and the residents of the community are members of the church.

There are also three strong Pentecostal churches at Ga Molepo , Strong tower bible church established and founded by Bishop Phologa James Makgatho from Dihlopaneng village, Assemblies of Christ, established and founded by Bishop EM Molepo, and also the Assemblies of God, based in Laastehoop established under the leadership of Pastor Nyatlo.

Tourist attractions

It is the home of the biggest Zion Christian Church (ZCC) church situated at one of the villages called Boyne, one of the villages is Ga-Rampheri where there is a Molepo dam in the Mphogodiba River. At Molepo dam , every festive season residents gather to celebrate the festivities with much entertainment, DJs playing and entertaining crowds.

Notable residents

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Main Place Ga-Molepo". Census 2011.
  2. ↑ Mpe, J.K. (1942). "Ba Molepo history (written in Northern Sotho)". Pretoria: University of Pretoria. Available at: https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/72025. (accessed 14 May 2021).
  3. ↑ Leselinyana La Lesutho (published as LESELINYANA LA LESOTHO) (1 November 1873). "LETLOHO TSA LITABA: Tsa Moea - Tsa Leeto La Bopeli - Sekolo sa Batlankana - Mosebetsi oa molimo - Potso ya pulungoana". World Newspaper Archive (in Southern Sotho). Moria, Lesotho.
  4. ↑ Mpe, P. 2001. Welcome to Our Hillbrow. KwaZulu Natal: University of Natal Press.


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