User:Chere Rabotapi

Rabotapi

The name Rabotapi is used as a surname by a Tribe within the Batlokoa Clan. The origin of the name is not known but the erliest recorded use of the name is associated with Ramakganthane (around 1780) who is believed to be the father of bo-Rabotapi. Ramakganthane is said to have been a great warrior of the Mzilikazi men.He remained within Bopedi(Limpopo) when Mzilikazi fled accross the Limpopo into Rhodesia present day Zimbabwe.He arrived in Bopedi with one wife and later married other wives he had a total of 6 wives.

There is no clear account of whether he had parents or Borthers in Bopedi and his exact backgroud. The next connection is made of one of his sons(Thabeng late 1800 early 1900) from the fourth wife (Machere)in the Vanderbijlipark district of Zoekoeifontein where he settled and had children.

From this place Thabeng children grew up,worked ,settled and later on his grandchildren started moving north into areas like alexadra for better work opportunities.Most of the Rabotapis lived around the Vaal areas of evaton sharpville and later to new areas of Sebokeng. The Majority of bo Rabotapi in South Africa have direct links to Thabeng and most of them reside in various parts of Gauteng. The current generation of boRabotapi is about the 7th from Ramakganthane.