People group profile · PG015533
The Southern Sotho of South Africa
The Southern Sotho of South Africa, numbering about 5,435,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Sotho-Tswana ethnic group indigenous to Lesotho and South Africa.
They are an indigenous people in the Bantu, Sotho-Tswana people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Protestantism, and they primarily speak Southern Sotho.
Fast facts
- Country
- South Africa
- Population
- 5,435,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Bantu, Sotho-Tswana
- Primary language
- Southern Sotho (sot)
- Primary religion
- Protestantism
- Strategic Progress Index
- No Longer Unreached
- Evangelical
- 20% or Greater but Less than 30%
- GSEC
- 10% or Greater Evangelical
- Lostness priority
- Significantly Reached People Group
- Also known as
- Sotho, Southern
- Region
- Southern Africa, Africa
Where they live
Gospel status
The Southern Sotho are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 10% evangelical.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Southern Sotho
- Pray for the churches among this group to grow in faithfulness and maturity
- Equip believers to reach the unreached peoples around them
- Send out laborers from this people to the nations
Primary religion
Protestantism · Christianity
79% adherents
Primary language
Southern Sotho · Atlantic-Congo family
64% speak Southern Sotho
Gospel resources in Southern Sotho
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Southern Sotho
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
Sotho in other countries
The same people (ROP3 109431) is reported in 3 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Sotho | Lesotho | 1,945,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Sotho | Eswatini | 6,100 | No Longer Unreached |
| Basotho | United States | 300 | No Longer Unreached |
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