15 Jul 2015

On Saturday, July 11 the residents of Tonota thronged the Molebatsi ward to pay their last respect to one of the village’s remaining nonagenarians (persons of ages 90-99) ., Mr Andrew Raletamo Sedabadi, who passed away at the age of 95 recently.

The late Mr Sedabadi, who belonged to the Tonota royal family, was laid to rest Saturday morning (

July 11) at the village’s main graveyard after being described as an individual who saw Tonota evolve from humble beginnings in the 20^th century to the lively bustle of its neighbourhood today.

The late senior citizen is remembered for often gracing the village’s cultural ceremonies and official events to share the history of the village, the latest being Tonota’s centenary celebration last year, where he frailly but firmly articulated the origins of the Bakhurutshe village in the presence of VIPs from Botswana and beyond.

Speakers took turns to describe the love, kindness, and industriousness that characterised the late Sedabadi, which added to his already powerful and popular royal personality.

Ageing Mr Thebeng Kelaotse, also an octogenarian, said the deceased once fostered over him during their earlier days; as such, he was so deeply hurt that he had lost such a true colleague.

Kgosi Ramosinyi Radipitse of Tonota, to whom the deceased was a paternal uncle, described him as a hard worker and an entrepreneur who was among the first residents to run a profitable manyonnyomane (fatcakes) outlet known locally as Central Panorama.
Manyonyomane were to become so popular that Tonota was nicknamed ‘The land of Manyonyomane’, by both residents and faraway communities.

Kgosi Radipitse said his uncle was a very talented man who often used his hands and mind to get the desired results; hence he was one of the earliest in the village to have a pit latrine in his household; in fact he sold them as well, he added.

He also remembered his late uncle for being amongst the emissaries who went to Borolong to ask for his wife’s hand in marriage some years back.

“I am today a proud father and grandfather because of my uncle’s efforts,” he said.

The deputy chief, Pogiso Sekoko, added saying he owed his life to the late Sedabadi because, like others, he grew up under his parental care and guidance.

Kgosi Sekoko confirmed that his uncle was truly the first person to sell manyonyomane in the village, and that people from far as Serowe used to travel all the way to Tonota to buy or learn how to make them.

“He was a father to me and I really admired him, and the fact that he was very fond of the Queens language made me even more attracted to him,” said Kgosi Sekoko.

Former Tonota South MP and deputy speaker of the national assembly, Mr Pono Moatlhodi said the residents of Tonota were equally grieving because the diseased was a community leader of note and a father figure to many.

Mr Moatlhodi said he often relied a lot on him while still an MP because he used to advise him to always visit village development committee’s (VDCs) and Parents Teachers Associations (PTA) for consultation and updates.

He also described him as a development oriented individual who always had ideas on how Tonota should be developed.

Daughter Pinky Monageng said his father was amongst the Dinaledi tsa Botswana heroes as he participated at the 2^nd world war. 

She said although they were in grief for the loss of their father they were happy to celebrate his achievements in life, adding that his father was a kgosana at Matlopi Kgotla (Molebatsi) from 1962 to 1972 and a land overseer from the early sixties until 2001 when he left because of poor eyesight. 

Ms Monageng said his late father could also be remembered for his contribution towards the building of the Anglican Church of Tonota. 

“People used to be buried using blankets until my dad came up with the idea of manufacturing and selling coffins with his carpentry skills,” said the grieved daughter
Mr Sedabadi was the only child of the late Ms Gaolatlhe and Mr Raletamo Sedabadi and leaves behind his wife Ms Christinah Sedabadi and 15 adult children. ENDS