Africa-Press – Botswana. Vice President Slumber Tsogwane has commended the family of Mr Ranko Gaoberekwe for working in good spirit to reach a common agreement towards his burial in Kedia.
Mr Tsogwane was among multitudes who attended the Saturday funeral, which received an overwhelming support from the communities of Basarwa from New Xade, Xere, and Kaudwane.
He applauded the family for a peaceful decision they made in unison to have Kedia as the rightful resting place for Mr Gaoberekwe, who was born in January 1941 in Metsiamanong in Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) and died on July 11.
A family representative, Mr Motswakgakala Gaoberekwe said although the deceased originated from Metsiamanong, the decision to bury him in Kedia was made voluntarily family members without any pressure or coercion.
He described the deceased as a loving, kind person with a good sense of humour.
Elder brother to Mr Tsogwane, Mr Mmolawa Tsogwane said his father was a friend to the deceased’s father in law and took care of the family’s livestock in Kedia.
Mr Tsogwane said his father took his livestock to Kedia because there was good pastures due to abundant water from Lake Xau.
He stated that cattle multiplied as a result of the old man’s good livestock management skills.
Mr Tsogwane said they lived together as brothers and they treated the deceased’s father in law as their father.
Cousin to the deceased, Mr Mogoba Lentodi said the deceased, who was the second born in his family, worked in the South African mines in 1965.
The deceased, he said, left the mines for a year and later rejoined in 1968, tagging him along to work in the mines.
He stated that the deceased married his first wife in Kedia and later married the second wife in CKGR.
Mr Lentodi said they survived by buying and selling horses and goats as well as hunting wild animals before the introduction of the hunting ban.
The deceased moved between Kedia and CKGR, as his father and other relatives stayed in CKGR.
They later relocated from CKGR to settle in Kedia, New Xade, Kaudwane and Xere.
Mr Lentodi indicated that after reaching an agreement with government, some remained in the CKGR, and he continued visiting them.
He later suffered a medical condition, which he lived with for two years.
His condition worsened and lead to his demise.
The deceased is survived by his wife, three sons and five daughters as well as seven grandchildren.
He had five brothers and three sisters.
For More News And Analysis About Botswana Follow Africa-Press
