POEM

This man was assaulted by the community during the recent uprising against crime in Shatale. He died hours later on his way to hospital. The poem below is dedicated to the community action and is written in Sepulana.

Mokga kgati….!

Mekgolokwane e kgobokanne go thasoga leleme
Meludi ya masogana like a melody ya Pavarotti’s Orchestra
Ba a botsisana ba makele betši ba Shatale
Gore ganthe ke lenyalo la mang la go emisa sechaba ka maoto
Beng mabu bare “ba tlhomodiye naga mmutlwa”

Ke koma mang ya go tšwa mehlare e wologa
Yona ke ya ga mang? Ge ya Mapulana e sa fetolele mašahla a mela
Naga e bafala ka go atlala mesemo ye metala
Basadi ba tlhakela leroleng ba tupela dirope le direthe
Mpša ya masebe e itsane “naga e thlomodiwe malalakwaele”

Shatale ba e tlhomodiye mogollwa ka mothokolo
Ba ngannge mešifa ka la gore mmutlwa re tlhomola ka mmutlwa
Re tima mollo ka meetše
Nnete mašago a butšwiye ka letlalo ka kubu
Monna a lla boka lesea
Letolo le robega nka re ke letlhare la morula wa go barama
Mphine wa piki o roba mohlagare
Basadi ba Shatale ba re ba belege masole
Enough is enough ba chesa tsotsi
Moya o tšwele nameng monyako wa Mapulaneng Hospital
Go tlhokiye le mokgekolo wa go rothisa keledi
Ke la tau ya go lapa ya go rothisa tete

Ke yona Bantu Education ya bo tsotsi
Naga ya Shatale e be e ethoma go tlhoma
Re womisiye lešahla ka tladi
Ra tšhuba ka mesela ya diphiri
Naga ya bokokwane e emme ka leoto la Kgoši Mashego
Ntšeleke skonopelo ke s'kogwa ke mo tlhomole mmutlwa

Sereti: P.I. Mashilane “JOP” Prayforce