Editing Mafikeng (section)

==History==
===Establishment===
Molema's town was founded by [[Molema Tawana]] (c. 1822 – January 1882).<ref name=nwhMolema>
{{cite encyclopedia
 |url          = http://www.nwhist.co.za/view-person.php?personid=33
 |title        = North West History – Tawana Molema
 |author       = B. Mbenga and A. Manson
 |encyclopedia = Historical encyclopaedia of South Africa's North-West Province
 |publisher    = Department of Economic Affairs & Tourism, North West Province
 |access-date  = 11 December 2011
 |url-status   = usurped
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20120315085507/http://www.nwhist.co.za/view-person.php?personid=33
 |archive-date = 15 March 2012
}}
</ref>

In 1857 Molema led an advance guard to scout out the area along the Molopo River. This was a familiar area as they had previously lived in nearby Khunwana. Molema settled a town known in its early years as "Molema's town",<ref name=nwhMolema/> while the main body of the Barolong under Montshiwa followed. But Montshiwa did not feel safe at Mafikeng due to the close presence and encroachment of the [[Boers]] in the [[South African Republic|Transvaal]].  He led his followers to Moshaneng in the territory of the Bangwaketse in present-day [[Botswana]].

Molema remained at Mafikeng to ensure that the Barolong retained a presence there. Several of Montshiwa's other brothers were also stationed at crucial sites in the proximity of the Molopo. Molema had to use all his diplomatic skills on several occasions to prevent Boer incursion and settlement near Mafikeng. He has been described as a man of "strong personality and exceptional gifts...and Montshiwa's chief counsellor in vital matters". (S.M Molema: 35) After negotiations with Molema, Montshiwa decided to return to Mafikeng in 1876.

Molema was a firm believer in Western education, having attended Healdtown; he opened a school for the Barolong once they had settled in the district. Molema became a farmer and businessman, as well as advising his brother Montshiwa. He died in 1882. One of his sons, Silas Molema, became a Doctor and historian of the Barolong. (see S.M. Molema). Later British settlers spelled the name as "Mafeking". The [[Jameson Raid]] started from Pitsani Pothlugo (or Potlogo) {{convert|24|mi|km|}} north of Mafeking on December 29, 1895.

For most of the 19th century (1800s), Mafeking appeared in Southern African maps as a part of [[Bechuanaland Protectorate|Bechuanaland]], a territory consisting of Tswana tribal territories, stretching from the Bangwato of Khama in present-day Botswana to the Batlhaping in present-day South Africa's [[Northern Cape]] and [[North West (South African province)|North West ]] provinces.

Bechuanaland was ruled by Paramount Chiefs of the Tswana groups such as the Barolong, Bakwena, Bangwaketse, Bahurutshe, Batlhaping and the Bangwato who under Sekgoma I and Khama III stretched Tswana lands further north to close to present day [[Zimbabwe]] and [[Zambia]] territories.

The Tswana chieftains had ruled Bechuanaland on the advice of Congregational missionaries of the London Missionary Society, including Robert Moffat who was stationed at Kuruman among the Batlhaping and David Livingstone who was based among Sechele's Bakwena at Kolobeng close to present day [[Gaborone]], Botswana; the Methodist missionaries of the Wesleyan Missionary Society among the Barolong; and the Lutheran Hermannsburg Missionary Society among the Bakwena ba ga Mogopa.

In 1852, the Boers of the Transvaal invaded Bechuanaland but were defeated by a Tswana army led by [[Sechele I]] (Setshele) of the Bakwena ba ga Sechele at Dimawe in present-day Botswana during the [[Battle of Dimawe]] of 1852.

The Boers of the Transvaal would successfully invade Bechuanaland 30 years later in 1882 establishing the Republic of Stellaland and State of Goshen around present day Vryburg and surrounding areas in 1882 to 1883. [[Stellaland]] and [[State of Goshen|Goshen]] unified as the United States of Stellaland in 1883 to 1885.

In response, British Congregational missionary John MacKenzie of the London Missionary Society stationed among the Bangwato at Shoshong advised Tswana Paramount Chiefs to seek British protection.

This led to the Warren expedition of December 1884 to mid 1885, where the British sent 4000 troops from the Cape Colony led by Major General Charles Warren, repelling Boer and German encroachment into Bechuanaland and dissolving Stellaland and Goshen.

Bechuanaland was proclaimed a British protectorate, with Mafeking as the capital. But Bechuanaland was later divided into two; separating Tswana lands along the Molopo and Nossob rivers-those to the north, Bechuanaland Protectorate, remained a British protectorate, eventually gaining independence in 1966 as the republic of Botswana.

Those lands to the south of the Molopo, now part of present-day South Africa's North-West and Northern Cape provinces, including Mafikeng, became British Bechuanaland, a short-lived colony later handed to the Cape Colony. In 1910, the Cape Colony unified with Natal, the Transvaal and Orange Free State to found the Union of South Africa.

Even after the division of Bechuanaland which placed Mafeking outside of the Bechuanaland Protectorate, Mafeking remained the capital of Bechuanaland Protectorate (present day Botswana) until Gaborone was established in 1965.

===Siege of Mafeking===
{{main|Siege of Mafeking}}
At the outbreak of the [[Second Boer War]] in 1899, the town was besieged by the Boer. The [[Siege of Mafeking]] lasted 217 days from October 1899 to May 1900, and turned [[Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell|Robert Baden-Powell]] into a national hero. In 1900, the British built a [[concentration camp]] in Mafeking to house [[Boer]] women and children.<ref>{{Cite web|title=British Concentration Camps of the South African War 1900-1902|url=https://www2.lib.uct.ac.za/mss/bccd/Histories/Mafeking/|access-date= 11 June 2022|website=www2.lib.uct.ac.za}}</ref> In September 1904, [[Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts|Lord Roberts]] unveiled an obelisk at Mafeking bearing the names of those who fell in defence of the town. British losses during the siege were 212 people killed, soldiers and civilians, and more than 600 wounded. Boer losses were significantly higher.

===Incorporation into Bophuthatswana===
Although it was outside the protectorate's borders, Mafeking served as capital of the [[Bechuanaland Protectorate]] from 1894 until 1965, when [[Gaborone]] was made the capital of what was to become [[Botswana]]. Mafeking also briefly served as capital of the [[Bantustan]] of [[Bophuthatswana]] in the 1970s, before the adjoining town of [[Mmabatho]] was established as capital when Bophuthatswana became nominally independent in 1977.

Following a local referendum, Mafeking joined [[Bophuthatswana]] in 1980 and was renamed ''Mafikeng''. The town was treated as a suburb of Mmabatho.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/za-nw-mm.html|title=Mafikeng / Mmabatho (South Africa)|access-date=2013-05-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/town-mafeking-officially-surrendered-republic-south-africa-republic-bophuthatswana-and-u|title=The town of Mafeking is officially surrendered by the Republic of South Africa to the Republic of Bophuthatswana, and upon its|last=jonas|date=2012-08-23|work=South African History Online|access-date=2018-06-17|language=en}}</ref><ref name = "gcBarMahikeng">
{{cite web
|url=http://www.sabar.co.za/law-journals/2010/april/2010-april-vol023-no1-p53.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205143824/http://www.sabar.co.za/law-journals/2010/april/2010-april-vol023-no1-p53.pdf |archive-date=2010-12-05 |url-status=live
|title=North West High Court, Mahikeng
|author=John Stander
|date=April 2010
|work=Advocate
|publisher=General Council of the Bar of South Africa (GCB)
|access-date=11 December 2011}}
</ref>

===Capital of North-West Province===
Following the end of [[apartheid]] in 1994, Bophuthatswana was formally reincorporated into South Africa. With that, the merged Mafikeng and Mmabatho became capital of the new [[North West Province (South Africa)|North-West Province]] under the name Mafikeng. In February 2010, [[Lulama Xingwana|Lulu Xingwana]], the [[Minister of Arts and Culture (South Africa)|Minister of Arts and Culture]] changed the town's name to Mahikeng.<ref name="mg.co.za"/>