The first executive mayor of Vhembe district municipality, Mr Sam Edwin Moeti (73), was laid to rest in a traditional Lemba funeral, held at his family's graveyard at Tshivhangani, Elim, last Saturday.

The untimely death of the former district mayor did not only shock the ANC, his family, relatives and country, but it has also shocked the international community, according to the deceased’s niece, Metse Mphelo. “We have received many messages of condolences from abroad and as a bereaved family it shows us that my uncle was a people’s person and accommodating to everyone, irrespective of colour, race and religion,” she said.

Moeti died after a short illness a few days after he was admitted at the Sandton MediClinic on September 20.

“A unique father”

His only son, Gulani (24), said that he had already begun to feel the gap left by his father. “He was a unique and caring father. His untimely death hit us very hard. It is a great loss. I don't know who is going to play that crucial role of uniting the Lembas (Vhashavhi) with the view of telling them who they are, where they come from and their culture,” he said.

Gulani added that he understand his roots because of his father. He described his father as the pillar of the Moeti family, since he was the only surviving child of his grandparents, playing the central role of unifying his relatives.

During the funeral service, attended by government officials, academics, politicians, the Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs, Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi, and the Premier of Limpopo Province, Mr Sello Moloto, speakers described Mr Moeti as a hard worker who was always supportive of developmental initiatives.

Mr Ronnie Sutherland of Madiba Construction, who volunteered to clear the bushes at the graveyard with his grader, described Moeti as his hero and a close friend. “After going to the graveyard and discovering that there were bushes and no space for parking, I approached the family so that I could utilise my grader to clear the bushes and make more parking room. I am deeply touched by his untimely death and I would like to extend my sincere condolences to his family,” said Sutherland.

Education

Mr Moeti was born on February 6, 1933, at Tshivhangani, Elim. He was the third child of Vhengani and Kutama née Bugana Hadzhi. He received his primary education at Emouse, Elim. Later he passed his secondary and teacher’s diploma at Lemana College. He obtained his BA (Hons), a post-graduate diploma in Telecommunications and Information Policy and a Diploma in Law Programmes at Unisa. As if that was not enough, he also obtained his post-graduate diploma in Municipal Governance at the then Rand Afrikaans University.

He also had a certificate in journalism from the Institute of Advancement of Journalism. He also holds a certificate in Municipal Governance from Harvard University. Moeti studied GSM Technology in Sweden, Japan and Hungary. He further studied telecommunications privatisation in Mexico. He was also doing a master’s degree in Communications at Unisa.

His career history began when he was an assistant teacher at Hebron High School in the Free State in 1954. In 1956, he taught at the Barota Primary School at Ha-Masakona. In 1958, he established, built and became principal of the first Venda-speaking higher primary school at Ha-Masakona.

Pioneer broadcaster

In 1967, he left teaching and joined the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) as an announcer. Two years later, he was promoted to a position of a senior announcer of the then Radio Venda (now Phalaphala FM). Moeti was the first announcer to be assigned to play the role of broadcasting journalist. In 1973, he was assigned to establish Radio Venda at Makhado, formerly known as Louis Trichardt. In 1977, he became the principal announcer.

During the period 1979-1981, he was the director of the then Radio Thohoyandou. From 1981 to 1985, Moeti worked as the director-general in the Department of Information and Broadcasting in the former Venda homeland government. Before he became the director- general of the Department of Foreign Affairs, he worked as the director-general of the Department of Urban Affairs and Land Tenure.

From 1990 until the dawn of democracy in South Africa, Moeti worked as the secretary general of the Government of National Unity in Venda. When the ANC came to power, Moeti worked as the chairperson of the portfolio committee on communications at the national parliament.

In 2000, he was deployed by the ANC to become the first mayor of the Vhembe district municipality. At the time of his death, he was acting president of the Lemba Cultural Association. He is survived by his wife Lydia Nana, whom he married in 1974, and his son Gulani.