Kungwane given a legend’s funeral

Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder, Isaac ‘Shakes’ Ramaitsane Kungwane was given a befitting funeral at Fafung, Northwest, on 7 June.

A long procession of cars and buses left Alexandra on Friday evening and Saturday morning filled with those wanting to pay their last respects. And appropriately, the country’s foremost football humorist, Kungwane was buried in a ceremony that resembled a comedy show.

The mood was electric, the atmosphere jovial, and the number of mourners unprecedented in the quiet Northwest rural area as speaker after speaker related the character that Shakes was throughout his life.

There was no sombre mood about the occasion but there was unanimous agreement that he went too early.

Former professional referee, Ace Ncobo broke down during his moving tribute as he related the relationship between him and Shakes. Together with Robert Marawa and Farouk Khan, the four hosted Extra Time, a show which is now regarded as the best the country has ever had.

“The one topic we never discussed with Shakes was ‘when’,” said Ncobo emotionally. “Had he asked when he should have departed this world I should have said ‘not now’.”

There was thunderous applause when sports minister Fikile Mbalula committed himself through his Fikile Mbalula Foundation to fund Shakes’ daughter, Neo, to complete her studies at a well-known private school in Johannesburg.

Shakes’ eldest son, Kabelo will be taken care of by his dad’s former employers Supersport. Kabelo is studying journalism and is guaranteed a job with Supersport after completing his studies.

Described as a humorist par excellence, a straight-talker and comedian of note, ‘Mshekesheke’ probably did not know how much the people of this country loved him – and especially the community of Gomora, as Alex is also known. The latter brought rural Fafung to a standstill, literally.

Disappointingly, when a Chiefs representative was called to the podium to pay their last respects, there was no representative from the famous team from Phefeni. Kungwane was a person who held no grudges and had no scores to settle with those who were so obsessed with his popularity that they wrangled his omission from some games played within the country.

The Chiefs choir though, was there. So were some of his former Amakhosi colleagues. Popular gospel singer Sifiso Ncwane sang his Baba Kulungile hit.

Fafung will never see anything like this again. Well, maybe not in our lifetime. It was a befitting farewell for Alex’s best-known professional soccer player. A man who never forgot where his ancestral home was and which township made him what he was.

Robala ka Kgotso Ramaitsane. Modimo a be le wena le lelapa (Rest in peace Ramaitsane and God bless you).