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Lobatse
Located in
Botswana :: Southern Botswana/Gaborone
:: Lobatse
Category:
Places :: Town
In the 18th century the Bangwaketse tribe settled in the valleys of the Lobatse Region, naming it after their leader, Kgosi Molebatsi. In 1895 the village formed part of the Lobatse Block, an area set aside by the British Government for use by Cecil John Rhode’s British South Africa Company (BSACO) for the establishment of a railway line running from Cape Town to Cairo.
With the establishment of the railway station in 1897, the village expanded rapidly, eventually becoming a cattle trading post with its own abattoir. The village was the prinicipal town in British Bechuanaland until 1966 when Gaborone became the new capital of independent Botswana; Lobatse was selected to be the seat of the judicial system.
With a population of almost 30 000 people, the town is home to the High Court, the Department of Geological Surveys, the Meat Commission and the only mental institution in Botswana, the Sbrana Psychiatric Hospital.
Traveller DescriptionLobatse is located near the South African border and because of its position on the railway line, was an important refugee point during that country's Apartheid Era. Several political refugees were given shelter in the home of one Mr Fish Keitseng, in the Peleng township - including the likes of former presidents of South Africa, Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki, as well Samora Machel during his fight for liberation of Mozambique. In August 2017, the Mozambican government began restoration of the Kgaboesele family home in which Samora Machel was given shelter, in order to turn it into a museum. Today, both houses are national monuments.
The five kilometres of road between Lobatse Station and the Botswana High Court was the first tarred road in Botswana, completed for the 1947 visit of King George and Queen Elizabeth; it was still the only tarred road in Botswana at the time of its independence in 1966.
The Lobatse hinge-back tortoise (Kinixys lobatsiana) occurs in the northern parts of South Africa and the valleys surrounding Lobatse.
| Address : | Lobatse, Southern Botswana/Gaborone, Botswana | ||
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| Cellphone Reception : | Good | Main Cellular Network : | Mascom. Orange. Be Mobile |
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| Facilities : | Shopping Centre, Shops, General Dealer | ||||
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| Police Telephone : | +267 533 0738 |
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| Hospital Telephone : | +267 533 0333 |
| Towing Service Telephone : | +267 77 097 527 |
| Petrol Type : | LRP/ ULP |
| Other Facilities : | Government Services. |
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BORDER POSTS:
Lobatse is 8km from the Pioneer Gate/ Skilpadshek Border Post between Botswana and South Africa.
SHOPS & SERVICES:
The town has several fuel stations, banks, a Choppies and a Pick ‘n Pay Supermarket.
The Cumberland Hotel is one of the oldest landmarks in Botswana. While Gaborone was being developed in the 60s, this venue offered entertainment for its new residents in the form of decent meals and a film show. The hotel has remained unchanged but offers modern conveniences such as Wi-Fi, a swimming pool, air-conditioning and satellite TV. Weary travellers can enjoy a cold drink in the garden, in the shade of an enormous Pride of Bolivia (Tipuana tipu) tree, considered to be the oldest tree in Lobatse.
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