Ramotswa, Botswana

Ramotswa is a village in South-East District of Botswana, southwest of the capital of Gaborone. The population was 20,680 in 2001 census. [cite web
url=http://www.cso.gov.bw/html/census/dist20_30_31.html
title=Distribution of population by sex by villages and their associated localities: 2001 population and housing census
accessdate = 2008-02-04] It is the tribal capital of the BaLete, an ethnic minority springing from the Nguni tribe.

Ramotswa's main industry is a wheat flour mill. The village also manufactures metal products.

Kgosi Mosadi Seboko of Ramotswa is the first woman to serve as a paramount chief in Botswana. Seboko took on her role as a village leader and representative to the House of Chiefs after her brother Kgosi Seboko II died in 2000. Her presence in the house of chiefs was hailed as a victory for women's rights in southern Africa.

The nearby hamlet of Otse is the site for Moeding College, originally a colonial secondary school and a school for the disabled run by the Campbill Rankoromane Community educational center. Police XI, Botswana Premier League champions for 2006, are also based in Otse.

The climate is semi-arid, vegetation is a tree and shrub savanna. Only a fifth of the area is farmed but the density of cattle and goats and sheep is high.

Otse is overlooked by cliffs from which a colony of vultures are easily visible most days.

References

*"BOTSWANA: First female paramount chief welcomed" (Sep. 3, 2003). "IRINnews." [http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=36372]