19 Jan 2015

Despite his hard work, discipline, forthrightness and austere nature, the man who was fondly referred to as ‘The General’ has his lighter moments.

The late Lt Gen. Mompati Merafhe understood that at times, one had to be himself and enjoyed life. Those who had the opportunity to interact with him during his illustrious life, could attest that ‘The General’ could have passed as a comedian.

Among those people is the former vice president, Dr Ponatshego Kedikilwe who recalled during the late Lt. Gen Merafhe’s funeral, that he met the young Merafhe who was on duty as a police officer in Lobatse in 1962.

“At that time I was a young book keeper at a wholesale in that town,” reminisces Dr Kedikilwe, who added that it was a time when African countries were keen and organising themselves to be independent. 

As young people, Dr Kedikilwe said they were also eager for a change. “We wanted independence and there were plans to boycott Lobatse Cash Store but police officers were on standby to arrest the situation if it spiraled out of control,” he said.

He said he remembered Lt Gen. Merafhe telling protestors that, “ke hirilwe. Tiro ya me ke go le tshwara,” meaning he was employed as a police officer and his duty was to arrest those who got on the wrong side of the law.

At that time, Dr Kedikilwe said they did not think too much of those words, only to realise later that that they showed the former vice president’s commitment to his job.  Dr Kedikilwe said Lt Gen. Merafhe loved the art of leadership and he excelled in it.

Also, he said the departed General enjoyed language and played with words. Dr Kedikilwe recalled that he once told him a humorous story about his colleagues who were fond of attending routine police drills after having taken alcohol.

He told him that during one parade, a supervisor who was inspecting the drill smelt alcohol in the breath of one of his colleague. “Upon enquiring if the officer came to a drill smelling alcohol, the concerned officer, perhaps fearing reprimand or dismissal said this is not alcohol. It is an African smell,” Dr Kedikilwe said.

He said during Parliamentary debates or any other discussion forum, when the person holding the floor was rumbling and mumbling, failing to make their point clear, Lt Gen. Merafhe would say they were speaking double Dutch.

He used to say “Rraetsho seo se buang ke double Dutch.” According to ‘The General’, Dutch was a very difficult language and he compared it to speakers who failed to put their points across.

Dr Kedikilwe said he was a man who always wanted a perfect job. If a person delayed, Dr Kedikilwe said he would say, “Rraetsho I asked you to do the job not to boil the ocean. Metsi a lewatle a mantsi thata ne ke ka se go reye ke re o a bedise.”

When a person was not clear in his speech he said he would say, “aa nna ke a hakgamala batho betsho. Golo fa nkare mongwe o letsa molodi a le ko mabitleng go sena yo o ka mo utlwang,” meaning listeners were not comprehending what the concerned speaker was talking about.

According to Dr Kedikilwe, when he visited the late at Bokamoso Private Hospital, Lt Gen. Merafhe said to him  “Motalaote, it is our turn to die.” Although Lt Gen. Merafhe was a  bit older than Dr Kedikilwe, they were in the same regiment. ENDS