Lance Corporal Tseke Moffat Molape told his family his peacekeeping mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) would be his last deployment.
After 31 years in the military, he wanted to spend more time with his wife Vainy and his four children.
Instead, he returned in a body bag — one of 14 SANDF soldiers killed in a clash with M23 rebels in Goma last month.
Yesterday, more than 1,000 people gathered in Moroke village outside Burgersfort, Limpopo, to bid a tearful farewell to Molape, 53, who had a reputation of being a family man.
Eight of the 14 soldiers killed in the DRC last month were buried yesterday. Three more funerals are scheduled for today.
At the family home, Molape’s cousin, Thapelo Mokgale Maboko, fought back tears.
“My cousin was a humble man. Humble and kind. His first love was family, and especially his four children,” he said.
“His firstborn is already working; then there is one in university and two more in primary school. They are very, very sad about their brave father.”
He smiles sadly. “He also loved dogs. His dogs mattered.”
Maboko stares above the heads of the mourners into the distance.
“Moffat did not like the time away from us and from his kids. My cousin’s biggest dream was to spend more quality time with the family before the kids grew up too much. It was supposed to be the last time.”
Moffat had served in the SANDF from 1993, and had been deployed to other countries — including Burundi and the DRC — several times.
“We take comfort in knowing he not only served South Africa, but also Sadc and the entire continent of Africa.”
Military pallbearers carried their fallen colleague’s casket to a gun carriage. Umbrellas were held high as the community patiently waited in the scorching morning sun. Accompanied by an SANDF band, the procession then moved out. Community members lined the gravel roads of Moroke Village, standing in dignified silence as the cortege passed.
Speaking at the ceremony, Rear Admiral Anthony Morris told mourners: “Moments like this sad day show us the important roles played by military professionals. It’s not easy keeping the peace in a volatile world.
“The military command council has to make difficult decisions sometimes. We know this and we know that whatever instructions we issue, that order will be complied with, no questions asked.
“This is about the bigger picture. The individual is serving the collective and as a nation we must be proud of these fallen soldiers.”
Molape’s sister-in-law Rommy Maake said Molape was “a very patient man, a lovely person who would do anything for his family, especially the children.
“Whenever there was conflict in our community, he would be there. He was a peacemaker at heart, even though he was a soldier,” she said.
“As a family, our hearts are broken, but we always knew this was a possibility. To join the SANDF is not just taking a job, it is a calling. And one of the risks you have to accept is that you may be killed in action. Moffat paid the highest price for South Africa and for Africa.”
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