Cyril's promise to Bra Willie

South Africans say goodbye to son of the soil

Mourners gathered to pay their last respects to poet and Struggle icon Professor Keorapetse “Bra Willie” Kgositsile yesterday. He was 79.

Kgositsile’s funeral service started at his home in Diepkloof, Soweto, before proceeding to Marks Park in Emmarentia, Johannesburg, and then to West Park Cemetery where he was laid to rest. The funeral was attended by musicians, friends and high-ranking politicians who included ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa.

Kgositsile was described as a humble giant who used his kindness to unite families, friends and those around him.

In between speeches, moving musical tributes and renditions of his poems, which included No Boundaries, were played through audio.

Jazz musicians Jonas Gwangwa, Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse and Dorothy Masuka each performed their famous jazz hit singles which included Masuka’s Hamba Nontsokolo ,a jam the revered poet loved.

The spotlight was also cast on his wife Baby and former wife and Speaker of the National Assembly Baleka Mbete, with whom he had three children. While leading the service, Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe told mourners that he was there when Kgositsile and Mbete met.

“I was there when he courted and later married our national Speaker Baleka Mbete. His contribution to all of us will never be forgotten.”

The marquee was brought to tears when a tribute from Baby was read by his daughter-inlaw, actress Gail Mabalane, wife to kwaito star Kabelo.

“I remember how you laughed your lungs out when you told me you were heavily criticised by someone for marrying a township girl. My response was [that] I was born in Alexandra township [and] I am unapologetically a township girl,” read the tribute.

Mabuse said: “I met Willie when I was in matric and I thought I could speak English until I met him. They tried to recruit me into the movement.

“He said I must decide if I am going to join the movement [ANC] or work for the movement. I met him in New York

‘ ‘ I was there when he married Baleka Mbete

and we had great times, but we all focused on making sure that our country is liberated and we never stopped talking about that until we came back home in 1994.”

Musician Letta Mbulu said: “He has done his job and now it’s for you young people to take the baton and run with it ... things are not where we want them to be.”

Kgositsile died on January 3 following a short illness.

/KOPANO TLAPE/GCIS Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and members of Professor Keorapetse Kgositsile’s family at the special official funeral service at Marks Park, Johannesburg, yesterday.

/ ALAISTER RUSSELL A painter works on a portrait of poet and political activist Professor Keorapetse Kgositsile at Marks Park sports ground in Emmarentia, Johannesburg, yesterday.

/ ALAISTER RUSSELLI Pallbearers carry the coffin of Professor Keorapetse Kgositsile at Marks Park in Johannesburg during his funeral service.

/ MDUDUZI NDZINGI Dorcas Baby Mabalane, holding a flag, at the funeral service of her husband Professor Keorapetse ‘Bra Willie’ Kgositsile in Johannesburg yesterday.

/ MDUDUZI NDZINGI Ipeleng and Ipuseng Kgositsile at their dad’s funeral.