The people’s ‘Uncle’ has died
There will always be a gaping hole in the city centre. A prominent feature, George Molele (79), otherwise known as ‘Uncle’ or ‘Malome’ to hordes of people who thronged his stall, is no more.
He breathed his last on Monday morning at the Princess Marina Hospital. According to those in the know, the old man had been selling his wares in the Main Mall from as far back as the ‘60s. A lot of people will no doubt remember the short grey-haired/ bearded old man who plied his trade under a tree in front of the famous Botswana Book Centre.
Unlike other traders in the Main Mall, his stall only displayed a few wares and one would be fooled into believing that the old man did not have enough stock to display.
According to those who knew him well, due to constraints of transport, he would only bring enough to limit the load as he would be footing from Old Naledi everyday. The rest of the wares were kept at his home and he would bring more as and when the stock got depleted.
When Mmegi visited the Main Mall on Wednesday morning, the slot where the old man used to display his artefacts was still unoccupied probably in respect of the old man. In an interview, Boitumelo Sethale and Victoria Dipholo who operate a stall next to where George was operating, described ‘Uncle’ as a quiet and obedient man.
“You would hardly hear him raise his voice to anyone. He always had this infectious smile on him. He was a people’s person as you would always see many people coming to check on him,” said Dipholo.
Dipholo added that she was amazed by one Motswana lady who stays in the United Kingdom who indicated that she has been seeing the old man in the Main Mall since 1980. According to Sethale and Dipholo, ‘Uncle’ showed signs of being unwell a few months ago. “He would sometimes get here and not talk to us. But, because we cared about him, we would approach him and enquired on what could be the problem. One day he came here and his shirt was dripping water and I approached him and asked him to take it off and I hung it over that chair (pointing) for it to dry.
When I asked him to come and sit under our shelter, he refused and told me that he needed fresh air. Eventually, his nephew took him to Block 8 to care for him. He would regularly come here to update us on his progress. It was on Monday that he (nephew) came to inform us about the demise of our ‘Uncle’,” explained Sethale.
She added that because ‘Uncle’ was a likeable person, Good Samaritans would sometimes give him lifts and drop off his stuff at the Main Mall. “Even young children loved him. They would also assist him with his luggage to drop it here,” she added.
Sethale said the gaping hole where the old man used to operate, traumatises them as they think a lot about him. “Many people have been coming here to enquire about where the old man stays so that they can go and pay their last respects. Amongst those who have been coming here are some Members of Parliament. I strongly believe that even some of his clients (white people) who have known him from way back will come here,” Sethale added.
Sethale said because ‘Uncle’ was loved by many people, they would sometimes bring him food.
“Some of them would be on a trip here and they would bring him a bucket of KFC. But he would not want to eat the food and say that he only eats bread and drink. We would take the food and replace with what he wants,” she said.
Sethabe further explained that there were dedicated Good Samaritans who regularly brought artefacts for ‘Malome’ from Kenya free of charge. She added that since the old man fell sick they have been keeping some of his items while others are kept in the storeroom.
“We informed his family members about the stuff that we have. They were supposed to come and collect them, but they haven’t yet,” Sethale said.
Another neighbour of the late ‘Uncle’, Johane ‘Shakes’ Mfanyane, said they grew up finding the old man in the Main Mall. “He liked his job very much although it was difficult sometimes. He has contributed to our growth and development. We are grown ups and we have children and they would normally come here and he would gladly play with them. He played the father role and would even at times ask for money to board a combi home and I would give him. We will miss him,” Mfanyane explained further. One would think that the old man was buying ready-made artefacts and reselling them but Mfanyane explained that the old man was at the same time making some for himself.
“He has taught a lot of young people the craft because the old man never wanted to lie idle. He was a hands-on man. He would sit here and make a Botswana-colours sofa and it would come out very nice,” he explained further. Sethale further explained that ‘Uncle’ was a Gaborone United (GU) staunch supporter. “He would never miss a football match involving GU. It never mattered when the game was played,” she added. GU’s brand and marketing manager, Herbert Letsebe described the late Molele as one of the pioneers of GU. “From what I gathered, George would attend GU’s training sessions religiously just like a player would. His life revolved around GU,” Letsebe explained.
He added that Molele would never miss a game even if it was played outside Gaborone. Letsebe enthused that if there was anyone who had red blood running through their veins, it was Molele. According to Letsebe, George, as he was affectionately called, was amongst the first people to form club branches.
“He contributed a lot to this club in so far as supporters are concerned. I am told he was amongst the first members of the current Old Naledi branch which they started way back. This was at the time the team was training at Ditakaneng,” Letsebe noted.
He added that as a team, they are proud to have had people like George amongst them. “He grew up in GU and passed on still a member of GU. Of course, during the last stages of his life, he didn’t attend as much as he did in the past. But there was no doubt about his commitment to GU,” Letsebe said. “Notwithstanding his health condition, he would on occasion be spotted at GU games. He had this old GU t-shirt that he always adorned. He was not into the latest team merchandise. He loved his old red GU t-shirt,” added Letsebe.
Letsebe said George was amongst the great motivators of the new generation of team leaders. “George’s death is a great loss. We looked up to them for their wisdom. They showed us what true loyalty is to a club that you support. Everything about him was GU.”
The ‘Uncle’ has departed this world and the hole that he used to fill is still wide open. There is a possibility that the old man would still operate from his spot as the nephew plans to continue the old man’s legacy moreso that there are still some of his wares that could be sold.
Apparently, even when he was on his sick bed, he would ask about ‘his space’ in the Main Mall in front of the Botswana Book Centre. Whoever fills this space, will have to grapple with his very big shoes.