05 Oct 2020

Batswana from different parts of the country on Saturday honoured a man, who had so much to be proud of, but led a lowly life: The late former chief executive officer of the Botswana Vaccine Institute (BVI), Dr George Matlho.

Dr Matlho, who died last week after a short illness, aged 55 was buried in Mabutsane.

 Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security, Mr Jimmy Opelo said the late Matlho was a class act. 

He said the deceased’s repertoire was a combination of knowledge, clarity of thought, hard work, focus, vision, dedication and humility, who was also the embodiment of the spirit of service. He was the brains behind what BVI, the only self-funding parastatal under his ministry, had become, Mr Opelo added.

What set him apart, he said, was the ability to organise and intelligently direct his knowledge into definite plans of action directed to a definite end.

Mr Opelo also said Dr Matlho was his reliable source of accurate, up-to-the minute information about his field and beyond. 

He said the deceased had lived his purpose this side of the grave,  adding ‘no wonder people called him hero, he was in every sense of the word, a hero’.

BVI board chairperson, Mr Makuke Makuke said Dr Matlho gave his organisation his best years, adding that his personal capital, which comprised honesty, humility, knowledge and passion, was disarming. He said Dr Matlho was also a follow-worthy leader, whose cool, calm and collected demeanor prompted others to follow his lead across the organisation.  BVI staff representative, Ms Prudence Kalasi said her former boss was a good negotiator, adding that his stay at the helm of BVI, was not just beer and skittles. At some point, she said, Dr Matlho was heckled by situations like the world economic recession on the one hand and unyielding staff demanding salary hikes on the other. Ms Kalasi said her former boss circumnavigated the maze through wit and clear vision.

Through his steady voice, she said Dr Matlho steered a middle course between retrenching staff to save money, to hike the salaries of a few who would stay, or convincing the whole team to stay at minimal pay, hoping to negotiate better conditions when things normalised later.

With the benefit of the hindsight, she said they were now thankful that Dr Matlho chose to protect the people he led, rather than sacrificing the majority to protect the interests of a few.

World Animal Health Organisation (OIE) representative for Southern Africa, Dr Moetapele Letshwenyo said BVI became Africa’s reference centre as a consequence of Dr Matlho’s profound knowledge on the subject. 

He added that BVI assumed the position of FMD vaccine bank as a result of Dr Matlho’s international perspective, adding that the deceased’s name had since become a byword for FMD vaccine on the continent.

Friends shared a well-woven narrative of his personal stories, a classic tale of love, kindness, humility and talent applied over a long time. Dr Madisa Mine described Dr Matlho as a brother, teacher, colleague and friend rolled into one for the 41 years they have known each other. 

His sister, Ms Kelekotswe Matlho said her late brother was a patriarch, who inspired the family to push against frontiers, revealing that her son was now studying medicine, inspired by his late uncle.

Ms Matlho said her brother’s humility came from their nurturing, as their parents socialised them to love and respect everybody, humble themselves and let the work of their hands do the talking.

His only daughter, Wame, described her late father as ‘the best dad anyone could ask for’ and a social butterfly, who taught her the value of making new friends from the people she encountered, assuming each had a role to play in her future.

Meanwhile, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi visited the family on Friday and rendered a word of support, saying Dr Matlho had served the nation with honour.

He leaves behind his widow, daughter, mother, brother and two sisters.ends