First Lebowa chief minister leaves behind rich legacy
Matlala led with dignity and wisdom
Born: October 21 1924
Died: February 13
Funeral: Tomorrow at Royal Palace at GaMatlala Rakgwadi, Sekhukhune district, from 7am
Burial: At the royal graveyard
The late Kgoshi Mokgoma Maurice Maserumule Matlala was an inspirational to many fellow chiefs in Limpopo and some regarded him as the “encyclopedia” of kingship matters as they consulted him on delicate traditional leadership challenges.
His famous phrase “Bogoshi ga bo timellwe ke moshate“, which means traditional leadership cannot be hijacked, is still very popular and often quoted by many leaders when addressing royal conflicts that arise out of succession battles.
Matlala’s death left many chiefs and traditional leaders, including ordinary community members, who looked up to him poorer in terms of advices. No doubt he was a knowledgeable chief.
Matlala, from GaMatlala Rakgwadi in the Sekhukhune district, died of illness this past Saturday at the age of 97. He will be buried at the royal place tomorrow.
The royal family of Bakone Ba Matlala a Rakgwadi confirmed the chief ’s passing.
Matlala is a historical figure in Limpopo as he was the first chief minister of the Lebowa bantustan. In 1973 his party lost election to the Lebowa People’s Party and he was succeeded as chief minister by the late Dr CN Phatudi.
The Shikwane Matlala College in Seshego was named after the late chief’s father, the late Chief Shikwane Frank Maserumule.
Matlala’s involvement with the Lebowa government continued until the last chief minister, Nelson Ramodike, under whom he served as the finance minister.
He attended high school at the then famous St Peters Secondary School in Johannesburg and among his teachers was the late Struggle hero Oliver Tambo who influenced his participation in ANC Youth League activities. But this did not sit well with the royal family back home.
After high school, Matlala enrolled for a law degree at the University of Fort Hare in Eastern Cape. He could not complete his studies as the royal family and Bakone Ba Matlala a Rakgwadi tribe recalled him to assume chieftaincy as his father was ageing. The tribe also feared politics would preoccupy him and thus deviate him from royal responsibilities.
Matlala was highly respected within the traditional leadership fraternity. Last year, the chiefs in Limpopo visited him and to wish him well on his 96th birthday.
Like it happened with his own father, an ageing Matlala had handed over the baton to the rightful heir to the throne, Chief Rakgwadi Donald Matlala, his son from the late queen mother Mogwape Matlala in 2016.
Matlala also had a huge passion for education. He was the founder of Boaparankwe College, which served to groom sons of the chiefs in then Lebowa homeland. Limpopo premier, Stan Chupu Mathabathe, is a former student of Boaparankwe, which had shared premises with the Tompi Seleka College of Agriculture near Groblersdal.
The late chief leaves behind a very rich legacy of respect and dignity which we will do our best to embrace and emulate as bakgomana.
Robala ka khutxo Nape-aNgwato, Mokgoma wo moso Kotole Lengana, wa bomma Lekometxe la Rakgwadi, phohu wa senchane sa Rantho.