Leetile Disang Raditladi

Who was Leetile Disang Raditladi?

Leetile Disang Raditladi was a Motswana playwright and poet. He was born in Serowe and got his education in Tiger Kloof, Lovedale and Fort Hare University. He was banished from the Bangwato Reserve in 1937 after Tshekedi Khama, the Bangwato regent accused Raditladi of adultery with his wife and an attempted murder. After that Raditladi served as a colonial service clerk before being appointed Batawana Kgosi Moremi III's Tribal Secretary in 1944. In 1958 after his return to Serowe Raditladi founded the Bechuanaland Protectorate Federal Party, although he played almost no part in later politics.

Raditladi wrote several historical plays, love stories and poems. In 2008 a large impact crater on Mercury was named Raditladi after him.