Today is the 13th anniversary of my father’s death

Today is the 13th anniversary of my father’s death. And I want to speak about Papa and the South African mines he introduced me to.

Most times I’ve seen Papa at his happiest was when he was in conversation with Mama or other elders about his fellow miners at the Durban Deep Mine at Roodepoort, or when he shared a memory about his time in the mines. I believe his Roodepoort era is when he was at his best: emotionally, psychologically and, of course, financially.

In 1988, at 47, he suddenly lost his job and moved back home. And until his death, he’d always include a few phrases of Fanakalo in his sentences, everyday: the mines were embedded in him.

His Team Leader certificate and 2 photos of him, wearing a suit, in what appeared to be a photo studio at Roodepoort, hanged proudly in his and Mama’s bedroom.

I remember this one day when I was about 10 years old, around 1991, I wore his yellow safety helmet, with the letters ‘Team Leader’ inked on, to school. After school, he was very angry at me and to avoid the punishment (I’ll tell you about it 1 day) I never touched that iconic lekarapa again! Of course, like most parents of his generation, he didn’t want us to get comfortable with mine tools.

I am honoured and thankful for the responsibility I have to ‘continue his work’, in the mines.

Long live son of Leselekwane!