Mohlomi: an Inspiring South African Leader

Sitting on my porch in the Netherlands, looking over green pastures, 450 year old windmills and water canals everywhere. I am enjoying the spring with our family, relaxing during the eastern weekend.

I am thinking about Mohlomi, the inspiring chief who lived between 1720 and 1815. Why should a Dutch family think about a South African Chief who lived in the 18^th Century? Well, this family, the Donders-Clan  (a normal old Dutch name, with a little strange connation for Afrikaners), is excited about South Africa, its history, its present and its future. Since 2011, we travelled 15 times to South Africa, started the xpand consultancy company in 2014.

Reading numerous books on the history of South Africa, written from different perspectives, one person immediately caught my attention: Mohlomi, grandson of the Bakoena Chief Monaheng, one of the founders of the Basotho tribe.

Living in 2015, we face a real challenge to find South African Leaders who can capture our imagination in a positive way, who tell us a story of a healthy future in this multicultural country: South Africa! Obviously, Nelson Mandela was one of the greatest inspiring sons of South Africa. But we cannot look only and always on just one great example of this colourful history.

So let me introduce to you , one other inspiring leader out of South Africans history: Mohlomi, doctor, chief, philosopher, traveller, family builder and wise son of Africa.

A few of his statements, as an example of his extraordinary way of thinking:

• It is better to thrash the corn than to shape the spear.
• Peace is my sister. I will look after her, protect her and cherish her.
• A chief is a chief by the grace of his people.

Placing these thoughts in the time (1765) when he said this, they are even more remarkable. Even more interesting, he lived up to his word.

Curious? Just follow the next blog series on Mohlomi: an inspiring South African Leader! An excellent research on the life of Mohlomi was done by Max Dupreez in his book ‘Of Warriors, Lovers and Prophets’.