Lebowa was a bantustan

Bantustan

A bantustan was a territory set aside for black inhabitants of South Africa and South West Africa , as part of the policy of apartheid...

 located in the Transvaal

Transvaal Province

Transvaal Province was a province of the Union of South Africa from 1910 to 1961, and of its successor, the Republic of South Africa, from 1961 until the end of apartheid in 1994 when a new constitution subdivided it.-History:...

 in north eastern South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

. Seshego

Seshego

Seshego is a town in the Limpopo province of South Africa. The town lies directly northwest of Polokwane. In 2001 its population was 121,639. Until 1974 Seshego was the capital of the non-independent bantustan of Lebowa, which was abolished in 1994...

 initially acted as Lebowa's capital while the purpose-built Lebowakgomo

Lebowakgomo

Lebowakgomo was the capital of the former bantustan of Lebowa. Lebowakgomo lies southeast of the Limpopo town of Polokwane. Lebowakgomo is surrounded by villages, Mogodi and Phutimolle north east, Mamaolo on the east, Makurung and Lekhuswaneng being south east.-History:The township was...

 was being constructed. Granted internal self-government on 2 October 1972 and ruled for much of its existence by Cedric Phatudi

Cedric Phatudi

Cedric Namedi Phatudi was the Chief Minister of Lebowa, one of the controversial South African bantustans.Born in Mphahlele, Phatudi initially worked as a teacher and educational administrator before attending the University of Fort Hare, gaining a BA in 1947 and a teaching diploma in 1950 at the...

, Lebowa was reincorporated into South Africa in 1994. It became part of the Limpopo

Limpopo

Limpopo is the northernmost province of South Africa. The capital is Polokwane, formerly named Pietersburg. The province was formed from the northern region of Transvaal Province in 1994, and initially named Northern Transvaal...

province.

Even though Lebowa was seen as a home for the Northern Sotho speaking tribes, it was also home for various non Northern Sotho Speaking tribes, including the Northern Ndebeles, Batswana and VhaTsonga.

For its size, Lebowa had a relatively large number of Teacher Training Colleges.