Alexandra remembers colourful life of Bishop Matome
Residents of Alexandra came out in their numbers to bid farewell to the late, colourful former footballer and Bishop Abraham ‘Gates’ Matome of the Ethiopian Catholic Church who passed away on November 16.
The colourful life of Bishop Abraham Matome of the Ethiopian Catholic Church in Alexandra, who died on November 16 after a prolonged illness, was celebrated at a memorial service held at Sankopano Centre on November 24.
Bishop Matome (83) led a colourful life as an outstanding footballer, especially in between the sticks which earned him the nickname ‘Gates of Heaven’, was described by one of teammates, John Mnisi, as a footballer through and through.
Mnisi, who is currently the president of the Alexandra Northrand Local Football Association, a veteran of the game and former chairperson of Rangers FC, said he and Gates, as Bishop Matome was known in football circles long before his ordainment, played football with the likes of Premier Soccer League chairperson Dr Irvin ‘Iron Duke’ Khoza and the late Dr Leepile Taunyane.
“In the recent past, Gates played a major role in putting out the fires in the taxi industry. We are witnessing relative peace today and it’s all because of the work that was done by Gates,” Mnisi, a member of Armsta [ Alexandra Randburg Midrand and Sandton Taxi Association), told attendees of the memorial service.
ANC leader in Alexandra Zwelibanzi Ndlovu said the death of Bishop Matome was a great loss not just to his family and circles but to the community of Alexandra and the ANC in particular.
“His Ethiopian church was turned into a safe haven for cadres of the ANC during the height of apartheid and he buried many of the comrades that were slaughtered during the dark days of our country and also raised bail money for those that were arrested. He lived for Alex and loved Alexandra,” Ndlovu said.
Bishop Matome’s righthand man Pastor Joseph Malibogo of the Victory in Christ Church that worships from the Sankopano Centre, also paid tribute to Bishop Matome. “I am still a staunch Christian today because of the teachings of Bishop Matome and I owe it all to him. He took me when I was young and made me his righthand man and I will forever be grateful,” Malibogo said.
Malibogo narrated a story of Bishop Matome, whom he said was always armed under his robes, that while returning from a trip to Pretoria and as he off-ramped from the freeway to Alex, he noticed some young men attempting to hijack a white woman and he reached for his gun and fired into the air and scared off the would-be hijackers.
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