In Botswana there are two BaKgatla ethnic groups, namely Mmanaana and Kgafela. However, of
the two groups, the Mmanaana are little known compared to their cousins, the Kgafela.2 In fact,
when people talk about BaKgatla, they are normally referring to the Kgafela group. Present historical
literature in Botswana has also contributed to this error because the terms BaKgada and
Kgafela are often used interchangeably. There are six Kgatla groups that trace their origin to the
Transvaal region of South Africa,' Apart from the Kgafela and Mmanaana groups that migrated
into present-day Botswana, the other four (Mosemla, Motsha, Mmakua and Pedi) remained in
South Africa.4 The Kgafela and Mmanaana groups migrated into Botswana at different times
under their own chiefs, and settled in different areas. S The Kgafela settled in what was later called
the BaKgatla Reserve in 1870 while the Mmanaana settled in the BaNgwaketse Reserve in about
1880. BaKgatla ba ga Mmanaana (hereinafter BaKgatla) is the only ethnic group in Botswana that
is today found in two administrative areas: Southern and Kweneng Districts. This article therefore,
discusses the circumstances surrounding the split of a BaKgatia ethnic group. Mainly using
archival sources, this article argues that the pervasive nature of British colonial rule exacerbated a
conflict between a paramount chief and his sub-chief.