A Living Culture
The cultural heritage of the Bakwena ba Matsepe is not confined to museums or textbooks, it is a living, breathing force that shapes daily life, governance, and community identity. From sacred ceremonies that mark the seasons to the oral traditions passed from elders to youth, every aspect of our culture serves to strengthen the bonds between our people and their ancestral roots.
The crocodile (kwena), our totem animal, symbolises the resilience and adaptability that has allowed our nation to thrive through centuries of change. It represents the patience of wise leadership and the strength that lies beneath calm waters.
Our cultural practices encompass language preservation, traditional governance through the Kgotla system, ceremonial rites of passage, and the arts, all of which continue to evolve while maintaining their essential character.
Traditions & Customs
Initiation Ceremonies
Sacred rites of passage that mark the transition from youth to adulthood, instilling values of discipline, respect, and communal responsibility.
Rain-Making Rituals
Ancient ceremonies conducted by traditional healers and elders to invoke ancestral blessings for bountiful harvests and communal prosperity.
Royal Coronations
The elaborate installation of new leaders following centuries-old protocols that affirm legitimacy, divine right, and the covenant between ruler and people.
Ancestral Veneration
Practices of honouring the departed through ritual offerings, praise poetry, and communal gatherings that strengthen the bond between the living and the ancestors.
Traditional Music & Dance
Vibrant performances featuring drums, chants, and choreographed dances that tell the stories of the nation's triumphs, migrations, and sacred history.
Customary Courts
Dispute resolution through traditional tribunals (Kgotla) where community elders mediate conflicts guided by customary law and restorative justice.
Our Journey Through Time
Pre-Colonial Era
The Bakwena ba Matsepe establish their territory and governance systems, developing a rich oral tradition and agricultural society rooted in communal stewardship.
Migration Period
Significant migrations shape the nation as clans move in response to regional pressures, forging alliances and establishing new settlements across the landscape.
Colonial Period
The community navigates colonial governance while fiercely preserving cultural identity, traditional authority structures, and customary practices.
Post-Independence
The Traditional Authority adapts to changing political landscapes while maintaining cultural continuity and advocating for community recognition and rights.
Democratic Era
Constitutional recognition of traditional governance brings new opportunities for cultural preservation, land restitution, and community-driven development.
Cultural Gallery
Our Lands
Commission on Restitution of Land Rights
A formal record of the claim for the restitution of land rights lodged on behalf of the Bakoena Tribal Authority, detailing properties in the Groblersdal Magisterial District.
Regional Office
Mpumalanga (Witbank Office)
Private Bag X7201, Witbank, 1035
Tel: 013 690 3552 | Fax: 013 690 2438
Reference Details
Enq: Ms Futhi Nkosi
Our Ref: KRP-1565/1347
Date: 09-11-2007
Bakoena Tribal Authority
Attention: Kgoshi Matsepe
Subject:
Restitution in terms of the Restitution of Land Rights Act No. 22 of 1994. Please note that a claim for the restitution of land rights has been lodged against the following properties:
Claimed Properties
Blaauwbank 168 JS
Property 1Location
Groblersdal, Mpumalanga
File Numbers
930, 946, 913
Claim Status
Gazetted – R/E, R/E of ptn 1; ptn 2 – ptn 5; R/E of ptn 6; R/E of ptn 7; ptn 8 – ptn 14; R/E of ptn 15; ptn 16 – 17
Diepkloof 44 JS
Property 2Location
Groblersdal, Mpumalanga
File Numbers
911, 985, 1220
Claim Status
Gazetted – Ptn 4, ptn 9, ptn 17; R/E ptn 3; R/E ptn 5
Grootkop 185 JS
Property 3Location
Groblersdal, Mpumalanga
File Numbers
64, 345, 361, 1177, 1347, 6585, 9361
Claim Status
Settled – Restoration
Kruisrivier 74 JS
Property 4Location
Groblersdal, Mpumalanga
File Numbers
1116
Claim Status
Gazetted – R/E; ptn 1, 4, 6, 7
Laagersdrift 76 JS
Property 5Location
Groblersdal, Mpumalanga
File Numbers
683, 918, 947
Claim Status
Gazetted – ptn 2, 3, 4, 5
Mineral Range 190 JS
Property 6Location
Groblersdal, Mpumalanga
File Numbers
930
Claim Status
Gazetted – R/E; R/E of ptn 1; ptn 2 – ptn 3 Investigation
Roodewal 193 JS
Property 7Location
Groblersdal, Mpumalanga
File Numbers
1096, 1129
Claim Status
Settled – all portions
Rooikraal 188 JS
Property 8Location
Groblersdal, Mpumalanga
File Numbers
912, 9940, 930, 1434, 1178
Claim Status
Settled – Financial compensation
Weltevreden 165 JS
Property 9Location
Groblersdal, Mpumalanga
File Numbers
12096
Claim Status
Gazetted – R/E
Wintershoek 189 JS
Property 10Location
Groblersdal, Mpumalanga
File Numbers
930
Claim Status
Gazetted – R/E, ptn 4, ptn 9, ptn 17; R/E of ptn 3; R/E of ptn 5
Diepkloof 186 JS
Property 11Location
Groblersdal, Mpumalanga
File Numbers
64, 925, 1565, 9053
Claim Status
Gazetted
Important Notice on Land Development
It is not within the powers of the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights to grant or withhold permission for the development or alienation in respect of land being claimed until such a claim has been gazetted, unless such development would constitute an obstruction to the achievement of the aims and objectives of the Restitution of Land Rights Act 22 of 1994.
In such instances application can be made in the Land Claims Court in terms of Section 6(3) of the Restitution Act; this can be done at any stage after the claim has been lodged – even before the publishing of such a claim in terms of Section 11 of the Restitution of Land Rights Act 22 of 1994.