Who and what is AfriForum?

AfriForum is an Afrikaans civil rights organisation that protects the rights of minority groups at national as well as provincial level, and anyone who can identify with AfriForum’s principles and objectives may join the organisation. AfriForum’s community plan focuses on mobilising communities to thus take control of their own streets and neighbourhoods again. AfriForum ensures that your constitutional and civil rights are recognised and protected at national level.

Wie en wat is AfriForum?

AfriForum is ’n Afrikaanse burgerregteorganisasie wat die regte van minderheidsgroepe op sowel nasionale as provinsiale vlak beskerm, en enigiemand wat met AfriForum se beginsels en doelstellings kan identifiseer, mag by die organisasie aansluit. AfriForum se gemeenskapsplan fokus daarop om gemeenskappe te mobiliseer om só weer beheer terug te neem oor hul eie strate en woonbuurtes. AfriForum verseker dat jou grondwetlike én burgerregte op nasionale vlak erken en beskerm word.

Kgosi Moroka Day revived through joint heritage project

Kgosi Moroka Day was revived by Kgosi Gaboilelwe Moroka today through a joint heritage project in collaboration with AfriForum. The joint project involved three activities. Firstly, the area around the monument commemorating the Great Trek, located on the farm Tshipinareshoek, was cleaned and the monument commemorating the election of the first Voortrekker Government on 2 December 1836, located on the farm Morokashoek, was visited. Thereafter the graves of Kgosi Moroka II and his successor, Kgosi Tshipinare Moroka were visited where their legacies were discussed. Lastly, AfriForum presented Kgosi Gaboilelwe with the flag of the Barolong Boo Seleka at the Royal Kgotla (meeting place) of Thaba ’Nchu – the seat of the Royal Family and the traditional government of the cultural community.

Kgosi Moroka Day is celebrated yearly by the Barolong Boo Seleka of Thaba ’Nchu, east of Bloemfontein in the Free State, on 6 December to commemorate the arrival of the cultural community, then under the leadership of Kgosi Moroka II, at Thaba ’Nchu on 6 December 1833. The land where the Kingdom was founded was obtained through negotiations with King Moshoeshoe I of the Basotho with the support of the missionaries that travelled to Thaba ’Nchu with Kgosi Moroka II and his people. The contract that finalised the Barolong Boo Seleka’s possession of the land was signed on 7 December 1833.

“I am humbled by the opportunity to revive Kgosi Moroka Day on this day as Barolong Boo Seleka commemorates our arrival in our beloved Kingdom, Thaba ’Nchu, exactly 190 years ago today. A big part of Kgosi Moroka’s legacy is his wisdom in forging ties with other cultural communities and thereby ensuring peaceful coexistence and prosperity for his people and their neighbouring communities. That is why reviving this day of commemoration through activities focusing on heritage in collaboration with the Afrikaner cultural community is so fitting. It is important for a people to know who they are and where they come from, so that they can use that foundation to build the future they want for their children. The revival of this day of commemorating the sacrifices of our ancestors to ensure a place for us as a cultural community in southern Africa symbolises the current day revival of our community with the vision to be a prosperous and self-sufficient community that manages our own affairs once again,” says Kgosi Gaboilelwe Moroka, Kgosi of the Barolong Boo Seleka.

“It is a privilege for AfriForum to collaborate with the Barolong Boo Seleka to celebrate heritage, cultural identity and a legacy of peaceful co-existence. The Afrikaner cultural community remembers that Kgosi Moroka II saved the Voortrekkers of Hendrik Potgieter when they were destitute after the Battle of Vegkop. He received us in friendship and provided a safe place for our ancestors on their journey to find a place of their own. The space he provided was so safe that we could elect our first government outside of the British Cape Colony here. AfriForum is working to establish a network of cultural communities, based on mutual recognition and respect, that can provide support to each other. A new order based on community federalism is taking shape on grassroots level that is creating the space for cultural communities to collaboratively shape the future we want for the children of our communities here at the southern tip of Africa,” says Barend Uys, Head of Intercultural Relations and Cooperation at AfriForum.

“It is with gratitude that I can also announce today that this revival of Kgosi Moroka Day marks the start of the 10 year countdown to the bicentenary celebration of our arrival in Thaba ’Nchu that, God willing, will take place in 2033,” concludes Kgosi Gaboilelwe.