Pretoria – The late Sergeant Lesiba Sekele loved the most famous quote by William Shakespeare, “Beware the Ides of March” - little did he know his last day would be 15 March.
The Ides of March is a day on the Roman calendar that corresponds to 15 March. The actual quote is from Shakespeare's tragedy Julius Caesar. The warning is uttered by a soothsayer who is letting the Roman leader know that his life is in danger and he should probably stay home and be careful when March 15th, the Ides of March, rolls around.
The late Public Service and Administration Minister, Collins Chabane, passed away on Sunday, 15 March with two of his protectors – Sergeants Lesiba Sekele and Lawrence Lentsoane – in a crash on the N1 in Limpopo.
Sekele’s close friend Paena Galane, the provincial spokesperson of the Department of Education in Limpopo, shared his childhood memories of his late friend with SAnews.
The two were classmates from 1992 to 1995 at Dr MJ Madiba Senior Secondary school, situated at Ga-Madiba in Mashashane, outside Polokwane.
Throughout the years, especially in class, Sgt Sekele would often scream: “Paena Galane… ‘Beware the Ides of March’ and the whole class will burst into laughter”.
Galane said the famous quote didn’t mean anything significant until Sekele died last Sunday.
Galane passed matric the same year with Sgt Sekele and attended different higher learning institutions in Pretoria.
“When we arrived in Gauteng, we stayed in the same vicinity in Akasia until I left for Midrand and he left for Pretoria West.
“We used to spend Christmas holidays in Kalkspruit, 15km away from Ga-Mapangula together, for the past four years,” he said.
Galane said the last time he saw his former classmate was in January this year in Thohoyandou, where he reminded him of the Shakespeare quote.
In paying tribute to his friend, an emotional Galane said: “He was a good friend indeed. Who could forget his smile? To your family, words can't explain how I feel. In him we have a new angel. I still see that smile... Rest in peace my friend… it’s over now!”
Minister Chabane will be buried in Xikundu village in Limpopo on Saturday, while Sgt Lentsoane will be buried on Saturday at Ga-Marishane.
The 38-year-old Sgt Sekele will be buried at his home village of Ga-Mapangula in Mashashane on Sunday. - SAnews.gov.za
