It is considered taboo in African culture to speak ill of the dearly departed. In the last 50 years Kgagudi Kenneth Sekhukhune was a central figure in the bitter battle to the coveted Bapedi throne. Sekhukhune was laid to rest yesterday following a service attended by royals from across SA, business moguls, politicians and thousands of mourners. In this eulogy to the former acting king who passed away last month aged 78 years – Limpopo acting premier Seaparo Sekwati sticks to the ethos of tradition as he remembers the positive role he played in the freedom struggle
‘Mabu a utswitšwe Bopedi. Mokgapa o mogolo o wele; dithaga re lla leṧogoṧogo. Tladi ya lesehla e rathile Lekwebepe, Hlabirwa a’ Bauba o robetṧe.
We have gathered here to bid farewell to one of our outstanding traditional leaders. Bauba a’ Hlabirwa is indeed no more.
The power behind the brain that led the people of Sekhukhune for over [four] decades has ceased to be.
Assembled here today, we are lost for words to describe this martyr, for we are indeed weaker and poorer in his absence.
Hlabirwa joins the galaxy of such warrior kings as his great-grand father Kgoṧi-kgolo Sekhukhune 1, Kgoši-kgolo: Moshoeshoe, Makhado, Malebogo, Makgoba, Ngungunyane, Mokopane, Mzilikazi, Cetswayo and Shaka.
Since the sad news of the passing on of this leader of our people broke, the people of Bopedi, South Africans from across the length and breadth of the country gathered in his honour and memory.
We thank the President [Cyril Ramaphosa] for accepting the request of Premier Mathabatha to declare this funeral an Official Provincial Funeral. What a befitting tribute to a leader of Kgoṧi KK Sekhukhune’s calibre.
Notwithstanding their pain and heavy hearts, our people have a reason to celebrate a life well lived.
We must count ourselves blessed to have had a leader of the calibre of Kgoṧi KK Sekhukhune.
The late Dr. Myles Munroe says about death that “the greatest tragedy in life is not death, but a life without purpose.”
Without doubt, Hlabirwa a’ Bauba, lived a life with a clearly defined purpose; his purpose was to serve his people.
As indicated in the obituary, Hlabirwa a’ Bauba is the longest to have served and led the Bapedi nation. He successfully led the Bapedi nation as their King since 1976. As I said earlier on, Hlabirwa led his people for over forty years.
It was during this tenure as a traditional leader that he distinguished himself as an “oracle of note who defended and observed the cultural norms and practices, customs and traditions of the Bapedi nation’.
He identified with the struggle for freedom in our country, and most importantly, mobilized his people and rallied them behind the liberation forces led by the ANC in the fight for democracy.
When we attained our freedom in 1994, Hlabirwa a’ Bauba knew and accepted that the end of apartheid only meant the beginning of the reconstruction and development of our country.
Those who have grown up with him, and those who grew up under his guidance and tutelage, know fully well that, in KK Sekhukhune, they have lost a mentor, a leader, a visionary and a reservoir of knowledge and wisdom.
We should therefore use this occasion to reflect on our current direction as people. We should do so because we are walking on the footmarks of a great leader who did not contribute to history, but who made history.
We ought to ask ourselves as to whether are we the true reflection of this leader? Are we correctly furthering the legacy that he left behind?
There is no doubt that Hlabirwa has left a permanent rich legacy that will last until the end of time. He will be remembered by all subsequent generations as a leader who liberated, educated, strengthened, developed, protected and defended his people.
As the ANC-led government, we understand, without any doubt, that there is no any other better way to celebrate the life of Hlabirwa than to provide our people with clean running water, electricity, sanitation facilities, decent houses and job opportunities.
Our rural communities must be developed with modern facilities as part of furthering the legacy of Hlabirwa a’ Bauba. The growth that is taking place in the Fetakgomo-Tubatse area must have a direct meaning to our people. The mining activities taking place in this District of Sekhukhune must not be about certain individuals and companies but must be about the development of our people.
The Sekhukhune Royal Council deserves to be one of the richest with more development communities because of the mineral wealth of this area. We are confident that time is not completely lost and therefore, new trends can still ensue. Here, we are speaking about new trends that will put our people at the centre of development, whilst at the same time, positioning the Sekhukhune Royal Council to its rightful place.
Hlabirwa a’ Bauba may be gone, but his legacy of selfless service and exemplary leadership shall remain with us and forever etched in our memories. Hlabirwa has run a good race, and we must allow him to rest.
Once again, I wish to extend Limpopo Provincial Government and my own condolences to the people of Sekhukhune.
We share in your grief and be rest assured of our unwavering support during this difficult time.
Sepela gabotse morwa kgobetlele, Theledi ‘a Marota, Hlabirwa a’ Bauba,
Ga di lebogwe!‘
Further reading on the Bapedi royals:
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