User:Motswedisebokolodi/sandbox

Mogonye is a village in Southern District of Botswana, located 47km southwest of the capital of Gaborone. The population of local residents was 577 in 2011 census. It is the tribal village of the Bahurutshe, who settled in the area from the villages of Motswedi and Lehurutshe during Difaqane in the 1850s.

Mogonye is characterized by a tier system, the village being constituted by Mogonye wa Boseja (ga Noka) and Mogonye wa Kgophu. The settlements are divided by river Metsimaswaane River with Boseja south of the river. The village is laying in the plain surrounded by Mmabufula, Manyelanong and Mmamotshwane hills. Mogonye village is the smallest of the Bahurutshe and it is adjacent to Manyana and Mmankgodi, Mmankgodi being the largest of the three villages.

Mogonye hosts breathtaking landscape which comprises mostly of shrub and tree savanna making up natural environment and modern residential houses scattered making up its built up residential structures, with government and administration facilities being Kgotla, Medical Clinic, A primary school and local police. The village is accessible by tarred road and has a network of gravel roads, walkways and paths connecting wards.

Mogonye is also a home to popular Mmamotshwane Gorge which is the main gorge in the village, a natural land feature that is frequently visited by tourists in an increasing trend to date, which contributes to the villages economic activity. The gorge is fed by the Mmamotshwane river, and the other gorges are at Bird Spring, Marete Spring, Leopard Valley, Hammerskop’s Valley an Tjamboti Spring.

The combination of the forces of rivers has resulted in the erosion of hard igneous rock bed has formed a deep striking gorge walls visible today. High volumes of inflow from summer rains leave many rock pool sand waterways full and lively replenished. The campsite and gate offices were constructed by the residents of Mogonye village and the official opening of the national heritage site was opened by then Minister of Environment, Wildlife and tourism Tshekedi Khama on August 12 2014. The heritage site is managed by Letloa trust.