Matsitsileng

Matjitjileng
Matjitjileng  Matjitjileng shown within Limpopo
Coordinates: 23°28′52″S 28°49′59″E / 23.481°S 28.833°ECoordinates: 23°28′52″S 28°49′59″E / 23.481°S 28.833°E
Country	South Africa
Province	Limpopo
District	Waterberg
Municipality	Mogalakwena
Area[1]
• Total	7.69 km^2 (2.97 sq mi)
Population (2011)[1]
• Total	805
• Density	100/km^2 (270/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[1]
• Black African	99.9%
• Other	0.1%
First languages (2011)[1]
• Northern Sotho	95.6%
• Zulu	2.1%
• Other	2.2%

Matjitjileng (also Wisconcin) is a village in the Waterberg District Municipality of the Limpopo province of South Africa. It is situated some 100 km northwest of Polokwane and Mokopane. It is a rural area about 1700m above sea level.

Many former residents of Matjitjileng have moved to urban areas such as Mokopane, Polokwane, Pretoria, Johannesburg and other towns. Matjitjileng continues to rely on traditional farming and livestock farming. Residents of Matjitjileng own their land; they are a self-ruled village, as they have no king but an Induna (currently Acting Chief Peter Ramaloko).

The language spoken in Matjitjileng is Northern Sotho (commonly referred to as Sepedi). Although there is some ethnic diversity, like Tsongas (the Ndlovus, Mokwenas and the likes), most of the people call themselves Bakone under Kgosi Matlala in bavaria Ga-Mathapo, though he is not the king of Matjitjileng. The bona fide king of the village is Kgosi Machaka of the Batlokwa tribe, though the rurals respect King Matlala Phuti for his position as a king of the Matlala area.

The people of Matjitjileng have embraced education as the key factor to the success of every family.

Ploughing is the most significant source of poverty eradication in Matjitjileng. Sugar beans, corn, mabela, mafela, morogo and livestock farming are the source in this regards.

Matjitjileng does not have a source of water like a river. Back in the days before people started having their own boreholes, they used to get water from the local well next to the famous Ga-Mahlatjie property (sedibeng) and the community borehole (pomping ya setshaba). Now there is a water supply, thanks to a government initiative.

Schools in Matjitjileng

The village has two schools, namely Mafasa High School and Ratinke Primary School. Ratinke Primary was formerly known as Matjitjileng Community Comprehensive School. Ratinke teaches children from Grade 'R' to Grade 7 and Mafasa High School teaches from Grade 8 to Grade 12.

There is no college or university in Matjitjileng. Those who wish to further their studies have to go to Mahwelereng or Seshego for a teacher's diploma, or Mankweng for the University of Limpopo (Turfloop campus) for other qualifications, while some opt for Gauteng and job hunting.

78% of the people in Matjitjileng are teachers, 6% in the military, 2% police, 2% health, 2% other and 10% unemployed (stats to be verified).

Infrastructure

There is some infrastructure in Matjitjileng. The roads are mostly graveled roads and some were created by cattle tracks over centuries. There is one visible road that crosses Matjitjileng from Ga-Thapedi supermarket and post office.

Ga-Thapedi was a white-owned store where the locals used to buy anything from salt to school uniforms, wedding gowns and suits. It was known as Treves as it was a postal area code. The post office has now been moved to Ga-Mathapo, but the postal code (0618) still remains the same.

References

1. "Main Place Matjitjileng". Census 2011.