People group profile · PG033365
The Northern Sotho of South Africa
The Northern Sotho of South Africa, numbering about 4,300,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Sotho-Tswana ethnolinguistic people indigenous to northeastern South Africa whose identity is rooted in Northern Sotho (Sepedi and related dialects), traditional chiefdoms, and a cultural heritage centered in Limpopo Province.
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 Pedi.
Fast facts
- Country
- South Africa
- Population
- 4,300,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Bantu, Sotho-Tswana
- Primary language
- Pedi (nso)
- Primary religion
- Protestantism
- Strategic Progress Index
- No Longer Unreached
- Evangelical
- 2% or Greater but Less than 5%
- GSEC
- 2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
- Lostness priority
- Marginally Reached People Group
- Region
- Southern Africa, Africa
- Location
- Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and North-West provinces
Where they live
Gospel status
The Northern 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 2% evangelical.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Northern 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
82% adherents
Primary language
Pedi · Atlantic-Congo family
100% speak Pedi
Gospel resources in Pedi
- Bible available, published 2013
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Sotho, Northern)
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Northern 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.
Pedi in other countries
The same people (ROP3 107413) is reported in 1 other country.
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.