Francistown — Known the world over as "Mama Africa", South Africa's foremost lady of song, Miriam Makeba died suddenly after performing at a concert in Italy.
She was certified died on arrival at the hospital. An outpouring of emotions ensued thereafter from all over the world as people talked of how death has robbed them of the woman.
In Botswana, the likes of Mmegi Managing Editor, Titus Mbuya, Production Editor, Lesang Maswabi, Makeba's adopted daughter, Mpho Maine-Oliphant and Rampholo Molefhe expressed their grief in subsequent editions of the newspaper.
What was even more painful was that she had not complained of any pain before her death.
Similarly, in Botswana, there have been incidences where people died suddenly. One such death, which remains vivid in the memory of this writer, is that of a fellow scribe, James Motlogelwa Motlhabane. We were working together for the Botswana Gazette, way back in 1993 and we were on deadline that Monday evening when it was decided who between me and him should go to BOJA-SIDA-PANOS workshop on rural reporting which was held at Mafenyatlala Hotel in Molepolole.
Relevant Links
Because it was late in the evening, I decided not to go, but James said 'no problem', and one of the drivers, I am not sure if it was Peter Gadimorone or Solomon Masala, drove him to Molepolole that evening.
As usual, Tuesdays were off days at the Botswana Gazette, when the paper was being printed. On Wednesday morning after I had arrived for work, I was sitting outside when I saw the late Botswana Guardian Editor, Joel Sebonego hurrying in.
A while later, when I entered the newsroom, I could see that something was wrong as everyone, Bernard Ragalase, Abraham Motsokono, the late Linchwe Kgaswe, Masupu Rakabane, the editor, Alfred Mulenga, as well as cub reporter, Outsa Mokone, wore long faces.
I asked what was wrong and it was Ragalase who broke the news to me that James was no more. He died Tuesday morning after collapsing during a session, I was told.
I have got a plethora of friends who have departed this world the same way. However, there are others I have seen waste away until we could only wish for God to take them away. One such person, who immediately comes to mind was Kgaswe, who I saw so bedridden he had to be rolled over when his other side was tired.
When he died, though we shed tears, there was also that consolation that at least his suffering had ended.
One of the people who must have been sick for sometime before he passed on was the first president of Botswana, Sir Seretse Khama. The last pictures of him showed him looking very emaciated.
Monitor took to the streets of Francistown to gauge the feeling of people as to how they feel when they are faced with a sudden death in the family.
Pastor Ronald Maphusumane of Assemblies of God in Francistown said opinions differ on how people feel when their loved ones die. He took solace from a chapter in Job, which he could not readily remember, which says, generally, that some people die with their full bones and muscles while others waste away.
"It is just that God does not make a difference as to how we die. But some people are much more traumatised when their loved ones die suddenly. They are likely to be sad when one of them dies after a long illness, but their sadness is mitigated by the fact that the person's suffering has ended," said the pastor.
Another pastor at a local church echoed Maphusumane's sentiments saying sudden death seemed to traumatise loved ones much more than dying after a long illness.
"Even for us pastors, when we have to break news of that kind, it is very difficult. You never know how to comfort the bereaved," said the pastor.
Norman Kebabonye (34), a resident of Bluetown in Francistown says he was deeply affected by the death of his mother in 1993 when she died in a car accident visiting her relatives in Tonota.
"After about two hours, we saw policemen coming into our home. After greeting us, they said we must accompany them to the hospital where we were told that our mother died instantly when the car she was travelling in collided with a bus from Gaborone," said Kebabonye.
He added: "I know what I am talking about when I saw sudden death in the family can be traumatising. It took me years to forget how my mother died".
Kerekilwe Sekaba (52), also from Blue Town, differed with Kebabonye saying sudden death was alright because the person does not suffer.
"Just imagine when you hurt your leg how painful it is. A person who suffers for a long time feels so much pain that it would have been better if he or she died suddenly," said Sekaba.
Unfortunately, as we inch closer to the festive season, our roads could become places of carnage. Reckless driving becomes the order of the day, especially among the youth who drive when they are drunk and sometimes without properly knowing how to drive.
Alcohol consumption also goes into overdrive and the imbibers sometimes end up doing things they regret the following day.
Comments Post a comment