Samuel Letlhogonolo Kebonang (1967 - 2012)
Samuel Letlhogonolo Kebonang (44) is
no more. He passed away on Sunday 26th May 2012 at Princess Marina
Hospital in Gaborone. Sam, as he was affectionately known to family and friends,
was born on Monday 4th December 1967. He was the second born child
of the late Parks and Kenna Kebonang.
The story of Sam Kebonang is my story
and I will tell it. I came to know Sam and his elder brother Emanuel through our
mutual friendship to Tiro Sebina and Sonny Morekisi. I had however heard about
him long before our paths crossed. Parks and Kenna had placed a very high
premium on the education of their children and they sent them to some of the
best schools in Orapa, Francistown and Selibe Phikwe where their careers had
taken them. So when Sam had not done as well as expected in his junior
certificate examinations, his parents had looked across the border for a place
for his remedial tuition. Kenna had been a prolific nurse at the peak of her
career when she met her tragic death in a car accident while traveling to
Lesotho to secure a place for Sam’s secondary education.
The core of the country’s professional
cadre was very small at the time. News of the accident had been pervasive and made
it onto the Radio Botswana news bulletin. Radio Botswana was the only radio
station in the country at the time. The accident not only robbed Sam of his
mother but also burdened him with the blame for her untimely demise. It is an
open secret that family and friends quietly blamed the youngster for his
mother’s death. There were whispers that the tragic accident was a result of a
chain of events that were triggered off by the boy’s unsatisfactory academic
performance. If only he had applied himself a little bit more they moaned. Sadly
in the midst of the community’s cruel innuendoes, Sam himself appeared never to
have forgiven himself for the unfortunate loss of his mother’s life. He
suffered quietly and carried the burden of blame for the rest of his life.
In a horrific twist of fate, the grim
reaper would revisit the Kebonang family shortly after this and this time claim
the life of Parks in a horrendous motor vehicle accident that left the entire
nation in absolute shock. The quick succession and gruesome circumstances
around his parent’s deaths shook Sam’s religious foundations to the core. The
son of devout Christians, Sam was a baptized and confirmed Catholic who took
the Eucharist religiously and diligently served at the altar during Holy Mass. His
parents’ tragic demise ruffled his religious convictions and made him question
God’s intentions and indeed existence. In his search for answers, Sam became
dispassionate about the Church and quietly disengaged.
I first met Sam at his father’s
funeral in Mahalapye. He was a street smart, soft spoken, but fiercely
articulate, suave, tall, lanky bloke with distinct pointy ears akin to those of
Mr. Spoke, the popular-culture character from the science-fiction Star Trek
Hollywood franchise. He came through as a good-natured, well-spoken young man
with a serious and somewhat detached focus in giving his father a dignified
burial. Although a thorough bred Tswana lad with a proud ancestry of Bangwato
pedigree and fluency in the vernacular, Sam’s preferred language of
communication was English. His command of the language was flawless. He spoke
with refined mastery and finesse.
It was during the somber occasion of
his father’s funeral when multitudes had descended on their family home to
comfort him and his brothers and pay their last respects that I witnessed Sam’s
selfless compassion and kindness. He refused to be pitied and remained deadpan with
a greater concern for the wellbeing of the community that had come to mourn
with them.
Sam completed his secondary education at
Moshoeshoe High School in Lesotho and proceeded with his tertiary education in
SPECISS College in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Our paths would cross again when in the
early 90’s I was appointed Depot Manager for Segwana Liquor Distributors in
Selibe Phikwe. Sam, Sonny and I moved in together and shared a house. Three hot blooded fellas in the prime of their
youth. This was at the height of the Tirelo Sechaba National Service scheme,
the decadent money burning era of the strong pula, low petrol and food prices
and unlimited liquor trading hours. The stage was set for thrilling
expeditions, exuberant parties and a colossal loss of innocence.
Selibe Phikwe was a vibrant town in
those days. It boasted a strong contingent of young BCL trained mining engineers
and other professionals who had just returned home from their training abroad.
Amongst these distinguished luminaries was Moses Majola, Itumeleng Motsopa,
Kabelo Mathews, Kavis Kario, Shorn Molokwane, Phetso Gagoitseope, Stephen
Nareetsile and the late Fawcus Seshika. In the barracks there was Duke April, Fredrick
Noweb and Maxwell Masipa. Thuto Lekuntwane lectured at the Vocational Training
Centre (VTC) and Clarence Ram was already honing his skills as an upcoming disc-jockey.
Among the local lads was Jonathan Mothibi who had appointed himself king of the
roost. Johnny was a notorious playboy whose indulgence in parties, night clubs and
the pursuit of sensual pleasures was legendary. There was also Gabriel Mompe
and his late brother Thuto. Moeti Mohwasa and the late Sam Sono ran thriving
wholesale businesses in the Copper Nickel mining town and Sam’s bosom friend,
Gabriel Sesinyi had also just returned from his studies in Canada. A budding entrepreneur, Gabriel had brought
with him novelty paraphernalia for sale. One of his distinct merchandise was a
waterbed which was promptly purchased and found a place of honour and pride in
our abode.
It was during this time that the Kgalagadi
Breweries beer sales division under the management of the late Sethoni Madikwe
was running one of the largest consumer promotions the country has ever
witnessed, The Ranch Stampede. Top prize in the competition was a fully
developed ranch, complete with a herd of cattle in the Tuli Block. Harry
Mothei, who was then Depot Manager at Segwana Mahalapye was appointed caretaker
farm manager for the duration of the competition and he gave us unlimited
access to the farm. This presented the adventure seeking, outdoor enthusiasts
that Sam, Sonny and I were, the opportunity to literally take up residence on
the farm. We spent almost all our weekends with friends camping and hunting on
the farm, enjoying scrumptious portjiekos and drinking premium sundowners in
the company of very beautiful people.
With all the game meat we had, we had all
the requirements, “booze, beat and braai,” as Sam used to call it, with which
to light the blue touch paper for exhilarating parties and chill sessions at
our house. Our bachelor pad soon became the alternate entertainment and hangout
venue to the raucous Talk of The Town night club and easy lounging by the Bosele
and Makhubu Recreational Park swimming pools. Sam did not particularly like
alcohol but was able to hold it down. When he did drink he enjoyed his episodic
glasses of cognac and chilled bubbly. He preferred the meditation herb and
smoked the recreational-cum-medical/spiritual rites weed with everyone from herdsmen
to teachers, police officers, doctors, pilots, magistrates, dikgosi and
presidential aides.
Sam was a people’s person, he was
everybody’s friend and he loved the fine things in life. He enjoyed good
company, loved beautiful women, good food and fine music. He was the big draw
card to our get-togethers. He loved peace and was always at hand to quell the
testosterone and alcohol fueled fracas that occasionally occurred at these
functions before they erupted into full blown fights. He was the guardian angel
who kept Sonny’s temperamental streak in check and polished his colourful
French whenever he blew a fuse. Sam loved family and he worked tirelessly to subdue
his volatile brother, Emanuel’s rebellion against the establishment. He was
always quick to defend his bothers honour.
To say that Sam knew everybody in
Selibe Phikwe is an understatement. His easy-going and approachable character
gave him the edge of knowing and befriending all of the town’s new arrivals,
especially women, before anybody else. Predisposed to this vital information,
Sam used it to the best of his ability by blocking off competition for the
fairer sex. Although the guys suspected him of dishonesty in the expanded
declaration of interests list he submitted, no one risked breaking the cardinal
edicts of the Mans’ Dating Code of Honour. The rule of Man Etiquette is
explicit, “Under no circumstances does a man date a friend’s past, present or
prospective flame, no matter how remote the prospects are.” One of the other tried
and tested tricks Sam employed to surround himself with beautiful women was to relegate friends and
associates to the unenviable role of wingman where they’d have to take the less endowed in the looks department of a
pair of girls in order to give him a shot at the beautiful friend.
Sam’s cooking was nothing to write
home about but his efforts in the kitchen somehow endeared him to women. He
spent a lot of time in the kitchen and was always in the company very beautiful
young women. With so much going for him, Sam tended to play his cards too close
to his chest making it very difficult to associate him with a particular woman.
Although he was quick to befriend, it was however well known that the guy was
too slow and that his dalliance and magnetism to the fairer sex were wasted on
him. He was just not blessed with the killer instinct and behaived like a
domestic cat that toys with its prey without finishing it off. Although he professed
to leisurely walks in the ‘Garden of Eden’ where he claimed to delight in
plucking the forbidden juicy fruit, his colourful claims were never
authenticated by the bachelor tribunal and it soon became apparent that this
was yet another trick he employed to stave off competition.
Sam was alive to his socio-political and
economic environment. He was particularly concerned about social injustice and
inequalities and did whatever he could for the marginalized and down-trodden.
He followed events in the Middle East, the collapse of the Soviet Union, the
American civil rights movement and of course the African liberation struggle.
He detested Ugandan Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army and Robert Mugabe’s
North Korean trained 5th Brigade’s scorched earth, Gukurahundi
policy against the Ndebele. He read extensively about South African
anti-aparthied activist and founder of the Black Consciousness Movement,
Stephen Bantu Biko. He celebrated Nelson Mandela’s release from prison, mourned
the death of Chris Hani and he rejoiced with South Africans on occasion of the
country’s first non-racial elections in 1994.
A big proponent of passive resistance,
Sam read about Mahatma Gandhi, followed African-American religious leader of
the Nation of Islam, Louis Farrakhan’s 1995 mobilisation of the Million Man
March in Washington D.C. and was repulsed by the Los Angeles police officer’s
brutal beating of Rodney King. He however never showed sympathy to any of the
political formations on the local scene.
Sam was fond of arts and culture. He
once spent an entire weekend locked up at home watching DVD’s of the American
television mini-series Roots which is based on Alex Haley’s novel, Roots: The
Saga of an American Family. His hero in the story was the protagonist Kunta
Kente. He also enjoyed watching Sylvester Stallone’s sequels Rocky and Rambo
and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Last Action Hero and Terminator. Like most guys I know, he publicly denounced
soap operas as frivolous trash but secretly followed South African soapie,
Generations. Sam formative music preferences were evidently influenced by his
brother Emanuel. He later got to listen to all genres of music from heavy metal
to Boys to Men, Bob Marley, Michael Jackson, Brenda Fassie and Fela Kuti. He
had a keen interest in folklore and the oral traditions, culture and heritage
of Botswana.
Around 1995 our happy-go-lucky life in
Selibe Phikwe came to an abrupt end. Sam was the first to move out and relocate
to Francistown where the small optical company he worked for was expanding. He
later joined Botswana Life Insurance company still in Francistown. Sonny moved
back to Gaborone and I was later also transferred to Francistown where Sam who was
staying with Suzan Mbulawa née Pitse accommodated me. We stayed a stone’s throw
from the homes of the then Godfathers of Francistown, the “Terrible Twins”,
Mosupi Tops Masole and the late Dan Mongwa. We had a swanky address along Boipelego
Street on the edge of the Francistown golf course in Area A.
Living next door to the dons of
Francistown nightlife, made our Selibe Phikwe adventure look like a dress rehearsal.
Francistown was the real deal and life was very good. The Mbakile’s, Sesupeng’s
and Khupe’s were trailblazing in the local economic empowerment drive while the
partying and night clubbing of the younger generation took on a whole new dimension.
The legendary Soares Katumbela of the Ritzmar fame kept the Francistown dance
floor circuit of chic night clubs ablaze with his sizzling hot aural
entertainment. While Johnny was the alpha male and did his thing in Selibe
Phikwe, Gabriel Masie and Patie Ndlovu were the flamboyant torch-bearers for
the Francistown de rigueur. They led the jet set metrosexuals of the country’s
second city with their cavalier association with women and decorated reputation
of spectacular sultry exploits. The pair had a notorious penchant of getting
good girls into trouble.
One cannot talk about Sam without name-dropping
because that’s just who Sam was, a people’s person. He lived amongst a tight-knit
tapestry of caring people with a strong sense of community and he was the
embodiment of the local address book. Among the imminent members of the
Francistown community were extremely beautiful girls, Agnes Mothobi, Dineo Paul,
Mma P Lejowa, Kelebogile Masalila, Bogadi Mangadi, Rashida MacPartie, Angela
Mokgwathi, Vanessa Beyleveld, Lorato Ramorola and many, many more. The legion
of the city’s boisterous young movers and upwardly mobile shakers was made up
of the crown prince of Francistown, Peter Matante, Foster Seretse, Philimon
Maoto, Mondi Mudongo, Joshua Lekoko, Sylvester Orapeleng, Tiro Mothusi, Charles
Johnson and the late Monty Mosinyi among others. This was the bustling crowd
amongst whom Sam lived his life in Francistown.
Sam was one of the first guys in the Francistown
circle of party mongers to suffer burnout from the hedonistic night crawling,
skirt chasing chivalry that was fueled by the exuberance of youth. His
diminished interest in the social razzmatazz ushered in a complete
transformation. Enter Sam the perfect gentlemen. The new Sam joined the
Francistown café society and drank afternoon tea with biscuits and scones. He subscribed
to Men’s Health and GQ magazines and dated girls to movie houses and upmarket restaurants.
Sam also began to assume a more serious outlook to life which awakened his
entrepreneurial instincts. He soon after opened his own burgeoning insurance
broker, Lebone Insurance Brokers which he later sold and moved into Real Estate
Agency and Transport.
Though disenchanted by Christianity,
Sam still believed in the scripture teachings that man shall live by the sweat
of his brow and frowned upon tender-preneurship which he viewed as cheap
tokenism. At the time of his death, he had established a refrigerated transport
company and was mobilizing resources to position himself for the anticipated
removal of the Botswana Meat Commission’s monopoly on beef export. He had been
negotiating with prospective clients in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Madagascar
for delivery of the prized Botswana beef.
His business interests were not
without major challenges but he took these in his stride and rolled with the
punches. The roadblocks that he encountered only served to fortify him and
rekindle his resolve to succeed. He had ultimately rewritten the business
narrative and was well on the way to turning his young business into
bottom-line success when death sneaked up on him.
Sam had taken ill during the public
sector strike and by all accounts he became collateral damage of the tussle
between state workers and the government. In the midst of the working class
struggle, Sam did not receive due care and attention of the medical staff while
in hospital. It is a tragic irony that he did not receive the essential service
when he needed it most and this further compromised his health to a point where
he ultimately succumbed.
Sam was childless when he died but he
truly believed that, “the soul is healed by being with children.’ He hawked
over his nephews and nieces who adored him and one of them, Sakhile has
undertaken to write a book about her beloved uncle. Sam was laid to rest on Saturday 2nd June 2012 in Selibe
Phikwe. He is survived by three brothers, three nieces and two nephews. He will
be sorely missed by family and friends.
Rest in peace Uncle Sam.
