LENTSWE
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Lentswe (circa 1857-1924) succeeded his father Kgamyane as chief of the Kgatla of what is now Botswana in 1875. He fought successfully against the Kwena people who had previously regarded the Kgatla as tributaries, and also against local opponents.
He was highly suspicious of the establishment in 1885 of a British protectorate over Bechuanaland (now Botswana), and in 1892 converted to the Dutch Reformed Church, partly as a political move. Lentswe, however, preferred British suzerainty to possible rule by Cecil Rhodes’ British South Africa Company.
He thus joined with other chiefs to petition the British government against such a move. During the South African War (1899-1902), Lentswe sided with the British against the Afrikaners.
In 1920 he appointed Isang, a son, to be acting chief, but the chieftainship subsequently passed to Lentswe’s grandson, Molefi.
L. H. GANN
