Kgoshikgolo Thulare III laid to rest

MOHLALETSE – President Cyril Ramaphosa said with minerals and other natural resources abundant in Sekhukhune district, the late Kgoshikgolo Victor Thulare III of the Bapedi Kingdom, wanted to work with the mining companies to grow the local economy and stem the tide of youth leaving for the cities.

President Ramaphosa said the late Thulare III wanted every member of the Bapedi nation to benefit from all the economic activities and all the opportunities in Sekhukhune.

The President was presenting a eulogy at the funeral of King Thulare Victor Thulare III at Mohlaletse Village outside Jane Furse on Sunday, 17 January 2021.

“He set out this journey at a difficult time. The effects of the pandemic have placed many businesses under stress – including mines in this area, resulting in job losses and hurting local business. It is under these conditions that we must continue his work. Communities rise on the back of their local resources, on their ingenuity and on their hard work, and so must it be for the Bapedi people. At the onset of his reign, he declared himself a sworn enemy of corruption, which he knew deprives his people of the resources that are rightfully theirs,” said Ramaphosa.

Ramaphosa added that through the King Thulare III Foundation, His Majesty sought to form strong partnerships to develop the skills among the youth and to restore the land rights, culture, traditions and heritage of his people.

“He wanted people to have clean water and other basic services. He wanted his people to live life free of crime, Gender-Based Violence and corruption. His desire was to be a firm partner to government and an unwavering champion of the needs of his people. We have lost a measured voice of reason, a shining example of traditional leadership,” further said Ramaphosa.

The President remarked that in fact, even before ascending to the throne, the late King Thulare III preached unity, which he said was a fitting gift to the ancestors who bequeathed the generation that vast land.

In recognition of his status in the society, Kgoshikgolo Thulare III was accorded a Special Official Funeral Category 1. Flags were ordered to be at half-mast at every station from 13 January 2021 to the evening after his burial at the Maebeng Tjate royal cemetery.

Kgoshikgolo Thulare III passed on at the age of 40 at a hospital in Johannesburg on 06 January 2021 from COVID-19 related complications.