Tribute to a teacher who inspired a village

The influence of teachers extends beyond the classroom in communities. Malesela Maubane pays tribute to one such educator who recently passed away

SCORES of people gathered under the cloudy sky at Mohlonong village in Ga-Mashashane on Saturday, 12 November 2022 to bid farewell to a teacher and community leader who touched the lives of many – including his beloved Mohlonong Black Swallows Football Club.

Lesiba John ‘Tisca’ Sekhaolelo’s role in the community extended beyond the classroom.

In a broader community development context, I can attest to Teacher Sekhaolelo and his wife, Dorothy Kwena (née Motsifane) ensuring that Mohlonong Black Swallows Football Club had a fixed clubhouse for their home games in the early to late 1990s. I was part of the amateur club’s setup during this period.

The non-professional club’s soccer field was situated where the Mashashane Police Station stands.Mohlonong village was apparently named after the mohlono’ tree in Northern Sotho or the scolopia mundii.

The amateur club’s football pitch had to be moved to where the Mohlonong stadium (sports hub) is currently located to make way for the construction of the police station in the late 1990s.

Even though the club is years older than the couple’s children, a daughter, Lesiba and a son, Manasseh, they tolerated the amateur club’s sweaty playing kit, including soiled socks in their house.

All the while they opened their lapa for our team talks and would apparently contribute financially to acquiring playing apparel or any other team’s requirements wherever the need arose.

Sekhaolelo was born on 16 March 1944 at Mmotong wa gaSekhaolelo, Bergzicht village in the Maraba area, settling in what later became known as Mohlonong Extension 1 in the mid-1980s.

He taught at Nnatile primary in Bergzicht (Sepanapudi) and later at Mashianoke primary school in Monotwane village.

As a learner at Madenathaga primary school, Mohlonong village in the 1980s, we would compete in school concerts hosted at Mashianoke among other schools.

Furthermore, most of his former learners at Mashianoke were my school mates at Dr Moses Josiah Madiba high school, Ga-Madiba in the 1990s and often spoke about the ‘good subject’ that he taught them, General Science. My daily walk to high school meant walking past his house which was located along one of the alternative routes.

Although I was not a prominent soccer player, I followed Mohlonong Black Swallows FC since I could barely recite nursery rhymes, as its dusty field was at one point a stone’s throw away from my father’s house on Stand 124 in Mohlonong village.

Before then, the club played on a pitch behind Mothokwa’s yard and on that note, I have no doubt that the football gods must have been happy with his gesture to house the amateur club and his motivational talks.

The influence of Moroka Swallows and Orlando Pirates on the amateur club was evident, as several of its 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s players carried nicknames bestowed on stars from the top tier clubs.

Teacher Sekhaolelo succumbed to illness on 5 November 2022. He was buried at the Mohlonong cemetery (Ga-Gwangwa), behind the police station where his beloved Black Swallows played many memorable games.

During a chat with a fellow mourner and my former teacher at Dr MJ Madiba high school, Morena Mohlatlego Mametja, he appreciated the professional and life skills mentorship Teacher Sekhaolelo provided to him during his formative years in teaching.

While his obituary read that he left a wife, two children and two grandchildren, it is however apparent that he is leaving behind several people he touched at different phases of his life. Robala ka khutšo Mothokwa ‘a Mmaseboko.

During his funeral services, mourners acknowledged Teacher Sekhaolelo’s legendary role in the community in song, singing, Mothokwa ke Morena wa Bergzicht.

Maubane is a native of Mohlonong village, Ga-Mashashane and 1990s Mohlonong Black Swallows FC player.