By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
11 October 2026 – Setlagole (also referred to historically as Se tla a gola or Setlagoli) is a prominent historical Setswana town and rural settlement located in the Ratlou Local Municipality within the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality of the North West Province, South Africa. The reference to “Southpan” (or Soutpan) in relation to Setlagole historically points to the area’s prominent geological salt pans (such as the nearby Muhukubung Pan) and its position on the northwestern edge of the Kaapvaal Craton.
It serves as the official administrative seat for the Ratlou Local Municipality and sits along the N18 national route, roughly 70 kilometers from Mahikeng.
The area is globally recognized by geologists for the Setlagole Megabreccia.
This is a unique geological formation exposed along the Setlagole River bed, featuring large fragmented rocks linked to a massive ancient magnetic anomaly and potential deep-crustal or meteorite impact history. The community is primarily Barolong and Bahurutshe, with Setswana spoken as the predominant first language by over 91% of the population.
Picture: Setlagole
