Tembisans acknowledged

By Victor Mecoamere

Reformed Methodist Community Church (RMCC) under Reverend Nsizwana Luthuli recently honoured several selfless people working in business, health care and community development under the apt theme ‘Inspiring Greatness’, seeking to motivate aspirant nation-builders in the sprawling township.

This Mashemong section-based independent and self-funded community church was formed in Hospital View, Tembisa, in 1999 and was registered as a non-profit-making organisation in 2009.

Those who were honoured were long-serving medical practitioner Dr Sanie Legodi, the late businessman Mr Herman Padi, and the township’s home for the aged, the Tembisa Society for the Care and Welfare of the Aged, in Kopanong section.

The awards were preceded by a moving motivational talk on the marks, significance and meaning of greatness that was presented by Tembisa-born Kaya FM radio show host Thank “T-Bos” Mokwele.

In thanking the church and community of Tembisa for honouring him, Dr Legodi, who opened his Sedibeng Section-based surgery in 1984, confessed that it was “the first time that people had ever said thank you to me for showing my love for my people”.

Sixty-year-old Legodi was 26 when he started practising medicine. After serving in the public sector and lecturing for some time, he opened his surgery, where he has worked unstintingly from 8am until 11pm each day, except for almost two years ago when his chambers were closed for a few days during which he was not feeling well.

“I will continue to serve my people with love, compassion and respect every day, even when I am under the weather, because they energise me,” a humble Dr Legodi vowed.

Padi, who died in 2012, was represented by his wife, Gloria. When interviewed afterwards, she said, “As a staunch supporter of community development, my late husband fought long and hard to establish businesses, mentor and nurture aspirant business people, and was a patient and compassionate person.

“Padi’s legacy includes a private school, a supermarket and a construction business.”

Addressing the audience earlier, Mrs Padi revealed that her husband, as a founding congregant and elder of the same church, had stood for unity and community development and had loved God. “So, I am encouraging all of the people of Tembisa, particularly the RMCC and our outstanding young people like T-Bos, to work together to further develop Tembisa, Gauteng’s second biggest township after Soweto.”

Ms Thandi Swakamisa, who leads a 48-member team at the old age home, said she was humbled to see a church honouring them. “We are merely servants of God, helping to ensure that our elderly are treated with dignity,” Swakamisa said.

“From 1975, we have been looking after hundreds of our senior citizens, providing meals, home-based care, caring for the frail and offering direly needed social work services to ensure that our vulnerable fellow human beings are not forgotten and forsaken.”

This was the second instalment of the awards since 2014. No related event was held last year, owing to limited resources. The sole awardee at the inaugural awards event, businessman Sipho Dhladhla, was highly impressed by the latest ceremony. “I truly saw a lot of improvements. We all grow with experience. There were more awardees this time, which is always a commendable thing,” Dhladhla said.

“It is always important to honour selfless people among us, especially while they are still alive. I had that rare honour, and still cherish the moment. That way, you are able to see and feel how much your own people appreciate you.”

r The author, Victor Mecoamere is a poet, motivational speaker and literary editor.