What was meant to be a night of mourning turned into a powerful celebration of a life that touched countless people across Mahikeng.
As family, friends and community members prepare to lay activist Thato Molosankwe (48) to rest at the Mmabatho Convention Centre on Saturday morning, hundreds gathered on Friday night to honour the man many described as a hero, a brother and a servant of the people. Molosankwe was shot and killed at his home in Lomanyaneng, outside Mahikeng, last Wednesday, sending shockwaves through the community he spent years serving.But despite the pain and unanswered questions surrounding his death, those who gathered for his prayer service chose to celebrate the life he lived.
Young and old lined the streets as a convoy accompanied by vehicles from the North West Traffic Department and the Mahikeng Fire Department escorted his body. Songs filled the air as mourners welcomed him home one last time.Many sang hymns and praise songs in honour of his legacy, while others reflected quietly during an emotional candle-lighting ceremony.For his aunt, Boinelo Molesewa, the memories are of a man whose smile could light up any room.”He was friendly. He would laugh a lot. I don’t remember a moment where he was angry. If he was passing by and saw me, he would shout ‘Aunt!’ even before I noticed him,” she said.
“He was a bubbly person. We are going to miss him a lot.” Molesewa said her nephew’s greatest gift was his willingness to put others before himself.”He was a child of the community. He wasn’t just our child.”That sentiment was echoed by community leader Dr Mpho “Trekker” Mahlakoleng, who remembered growing up alongside Molosankwe. “We grew up with Thato here in Mahikeng. We went to school together. We would always see him around, even shortly before his death,” he said. As tributes poured in, discussions also turned to the circumstances surrounding his killing. Community member Judith Mphewa said Molosankwe had recently been involved in efforts to shut down non-compliant spaza shops in the Mahikeng CBD, just days before he was killed. A family member also recalled seeing a vehicle parked near Molosankwe’s business premises before the murder.
“At the time, I thought it was someone waiting or just parked there. Looking back now, I suspect they could have been involved,” the relative said. Police investigations into the killing continue. Acting National Commissioner Puleng Dimpane has condemned the attack and assured residents that authorities are working tirelessly to bring those responsible to justice. “No stone will be left unturned until those behind this crime are found and brought to book,” Dimpane said. As Mahikeng gathers for his final farewell, many will remember Molosankwe not for the way he died, but for the way he lived — a man who belonged to the people, whose laughter was infectious, whose door was always open and whose commitment to his community left a lasting mark.
For those who knew him best, Thato Molosankwe was more than an activist. He was family, a friend and a symbol of service. And while his voice has been silenced, the impact of his life continues to resonate across the community he loved.
