in 1854 the boers began a siege against ndebele chief mokopane and mogale had secretly supplied firearms to mokopane. with access to firearms, mokopane fought back and a farmer named piet potgieter was shot. later, a bapo man named rautiegabo moerane informed the boers that is was mogal that had supplied the firearms. mogale was thus summoned to appear before vieldkornet gert kruger and hans van aswegen to explain his role against the boers, and sensing that they were planning to arrest him for conspiracy and gunrunning, mogale fled with many followers to seek refuge with moshoeshoe i i in lesotho. initially his sons and heir, moruatona sided with the boers but later joined his father in lesotho.