• 

By STAFF REPORTER

Heartfelt condolences messages continue to pour in after the passing of reverend Johannes Tselapedi. Former North West MEC for Education died on Sunday following a short illness.

ANC Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) coordinator in the North West, Hlomani Chauke described Tselapedi as a decorated freedom Fighter, a distinguished leader and an accomplished political, religious and social activist.

“We have learned with utter shock and sadness about the passing of one of the longest serving leaders of our movement, Tselapedi. In 1980, OJ as Tselapedi was affectionately known, became a Pastor of Evangelical Church and went on to become the youngest Chairperson of Southern African Evangelical Church.

“In 1983, he was appointed as the first black Rector of the Evangelical Bible Institute, a position he passionately used to challenge injustice. As a member of the South African Council of Churches (SACC), OJ fought tirelessly against the draconian apartheid rule,” Chauke said.

He further said Tselapedi’s relentless and determined activism stroke fear in the ‘repressive’ leader of the Bophuthatswana regime, Kgosi Lucas Mangope to the extent that he labelled him, an “ANC in church”.

For his involvement in the struggle against apartheid, Tselapedi was suspended from the leadership of the Evangelical Church. However, his suspension did not deter him.

“Tselapedi was rather emboldened to fight against political and social injustice. He went on to organize marches against the tyrant Bophuthatswana regime under the banner of the Forum for Human Rights in Bophuthatswana.

“Following the unbanning of the ANC, Tselapedi was elected as the chairperson of the ANC in the Western Transvaal. He served the ANC at a provincial level in many capacities including as the deputy chairperson of the ANC in the North West,” said Chauke.

After the democratic breakthrough in 1994, Tselapedi was appointed to serve in the North West Provincial Government as the MEC for Transport and Aviation. He was subsequently appointed to serve as MEC for Agriculture and went on later to serve as the North West Provincial Legislature (NWPL) speaker.

“He was later appointed as the North West MEC for Education. At the time of his passing, Tselapedi was a member of the ANC IPC. He was also serving as the ANC councillor in the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality, where he chaired the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC).

“The ANC has lost a loyal and disciplined cadre whose commitment to the unity, rebuilding, renewal of ANC was demonstrable through his contribution within the IPC. The people of the North West have been overwhelmingly favoured through his sterling, humble and selfless leadership,” he said.

North West Provincial Government spokesperson, Brian Setswanbung who was the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) provincial secretary during Tselapedi’s tenure as the North West MEC for Education shared the same sentiments.

Setswambung said: “RIP Reverend OJ Tselapedi. You made your mark in the world of the living. You provided inspirational leadership at all times when you were given an opportunity to lead. You led the North West Department of Education remarkably. 

“When critics pontificated that you would not make it as the North West MEC for Education, you proved them wrong. You successfully galvanised stakeholders to support education and the department you led was to enjoy a steady improvement of matric results and labour peace.”

The Global Tourism Legacy Networks Pty Ltd chairperson, Charles Ndabeni said Tselapedi was a colossal creature of maximum value, the knowledge architect and community leader. Ndabeni said Tselapedi refused to be defined by his pigmentation and situation.

“Tselapedi served at the highest levels of leadership in the African National Congress and the North West Provincial Government. He was the chairperson of the African National Congress in the Western Transvaal, held three cabinet seats and he remained the most senior leader in the province until his untimely death.

“I will cherish for what remains of my life the first time I met him in Tlhabane in 1989. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” he said.

taungdailynews@gmail.com