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| Maqoma, born in 1798 was the eldest son of the Rharabe King, Ngqika, but of the Right Hand House, so not in direct line of succession. As a young man he established his household in the Winterburg in the so called 'Neutral Territory' in 1821.
He was strongly opposed to the extension of the colonial frontier and consistently and successfully raided cattle of the white settlers. This brought him into conflict with the magistrates and in 1829 his homestead was captured, his cattle seized and he was forced to move east of the Kabusie River. King Ngqika died in 1829 and Maqoma became Regent as Sandile, son of the Great House, was still only a boy.
He fought resolutely in the 1834-35 frontier war and gained status as a powerful and capable leader of the Rharabe. Sandile came of age in 1840 and Maqoma lost his position and this, together with the colonial incursions, made him very depressed, and he began to drink heavily. He returned to his land in the Waterburg in 1848 and continued cattle raiding to great effect. He regained his old fire during the 1850-53 war and took part in the Cattle Killing.
For this he was exiled to Robben Island until 1869. His freedom was short - lived and he was sent back in 1871 dying two years later. He was buried on the island. His remains were disinterred in 1978 and reburied on Ntaba kaNdoda.
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