Royalty from Africa and Europe will join government ministers, ambassadors and business executives in Phokeng, near Rustenburg, this weekend for the enthronement of Bafokeng King Leruo Tshekedi Molotlegi. He will be the 36th king of the Bafokeng tribe — one of Africa’s richest.
Representatives from the United States, the United Kingdom and The Netherlands are some of the high-profile people expected in Phokeng.
Officials involved in the planning would not release the names of the dignitaries because of security concerns, but said that African kings and heads of states will attend the event, which will also be attended by about 45 000 people at the Phokeng stadium.
The Bafokeng tribe receives more than R200-million in royalties from Impala Platinum mines, which operate in their area. Phokeng itself is made up of 29 villages.
A graduate in architecture from the University of Natal, King Leruo is the son of Queen Mother Seremane and King Edward Patrick Lebone Molotlegi.
The former king fought a bitter battle with erstwhile Bophuthatswana president Lucas Mangope, who was accused of siphoning off the tribe’s mineral royalties.
Mangope forced King Lebone into exile in Botswana and installed his unpopular younger brother, George, as the king. King Lebone fell sick and died soon after returning from exile. He was succeeded by his son King Mollwane, who died in 2001. King Leruo succeeds King Mollwane.
The family and its subjects have been in the area for about 800 years, and have now developed the Vision 2020 and Beyond, an economic programme that charts their future prospects.
The Bafokeng this week said “the enthronement ceremony will be a solemn but celebratory event in which the collective heritage and aspirations of the Bafokeng will be symbolised”.
Before addressing his people, King Leruo will receive ritual symbols of power such as a leopard skin and implements of war.