A community assembles to celebrate the life of a veteran school teacher

The town of Bela-Bela will on Saturday lay to rest one of its most loved residents, Emma Masemola.

The school teacher, journalist, and impresario par excellence, passed away last Saturday 13 April.

She will be laid to rest on Saturday 20 April.

To the many she has taught from a career spanning upwards of two decades, the deceased was simply known as Aunt Emma.

Masemola worked at, among other schools, Mmamakwa Primary School in Bela-Bela’s old location.

Aunt Emma was a community-driven activist, who used to lead a troupe of drum majorettes, and was also choirmistress of note in the schools’ eisteddfods, winning a number of trophies.

She is also remembered by her colleagues at both The BEAT and Die Pos/The Post newspaper as a prolific writer.

Die Pos/The Post editor, Keina Swart, said she remembered Aunt Emma as “a very vibrant and bubbly lady and highly effective in her work”.

She paid a moving tribute to a former colleague, and sends her “deepest condolences” to the Masemola family.

The BEAT editor, Johnny Masilela, said he had fond boyhood memories of Aunt Emma.

“To me Aunt Emma was the lady with the ready smile who was married into the Masemola family across the road,” he said.

Masilela has more to say about Aunt Emma in this week’s Letter from the Editor.

Reporter Lizzy Bapela said she worked very closely with Aunt Emma at The BEAT newspaper.

“She was a hyperactive woman, who related quite easily with young and old,” she said.

Bapela said they both had a passion for African cuisine.

Another reporter at The BEAT, TK Mashaba, said he remembered Aunt Emma as someone passionate about music of whatever genre.

The BEAT/ Die Pos receptionist, Maria Makwela, paid her last respects to a former colleague.

“She was a wonderful person with a great sense of humour,” she said.

— The BEAT