Kwasa king drives around Limpopo villages using loudspeaker to tell people about Covid

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize revealed at the weekend that by Saturday, the country had registered 14,355 cases and that for the numbers to decline, everyone had to play their part.

This saw the musician, who is also a prominent Limpopo taxi tycoon, taking a convoy of taxis and bakkies to the villages around Tzaneen, Modjadjiskloof, Giyani, Hoedspruit and Polokwane, spreading the message to stay at home, wash your hands, cover your face, refrain from kissing and hugging and not to smoke during lockdown.

“I am a musician, a famous businessman, a public speaker with a lot of followers and a celebrity in my own right.

“There is no doubt that people respect me and take me seriously. I am, therefore, the right person to carry Covid-19 and lockdown messages to the people, especially those in townships, rural villages and farm dwellings,” said Sefofa during a Covid-19 awareness campaign in Relela village, outside Tzaneen, on Saturday.

Every day from dawn to dusk, Sefofa, who owns a fleet of cars, including 10 taxis and seven bakkies, travels among the far-flung villages of the Mopani region in a convey, using a loudhailer to call on the community to respect the lockdown regulations.

Everywhere he goes, the 58-year-old targets youths and pensioners with his message. He says his target is to take his education campaign to other villages beyond Limpopo.

“I wake up in the wee hours of every morning to prepare food for my journey as there are no more chicken dusts or fancy restaurants to buy food.

“To me, it is life now and economic emancipation later. I believe it is important to educate our people about this virus so that they live a healthy lifestyle, free from coronavirus.

“After defeating the virus, we can then rebuild the economy with fresh minds and fresh bodies. I have knocked at the doors of every businessman, including government, to help me with funds to fuel my vehicles.

“But I have since thrown in the towel because each time you call them they say ‘please come next week’. But next week will always be next week.

“I realised I have to fight with everything I have for the campaign to succeed, even if it means spending my last cent to educate those less fortunate rural people who do not have television sets, access to newspapers or radios in their houses.”

Sefofa’s work has been praised by the Mopani district municipality and everyone alike in the province.

“He is a true businessman and a musician, loved and respected by everyone,” said Masilo Maloko of the Mopani district municipality and chair of the Phisela branch of the ANC in Tzaneen.

“His Covid-19 messages are reaching everyone, even those from the bundu who know nothing about coronavirus.”

Residents of many rural areas have been complaining about increased police visibility in their areas. They have also claimed that lockdown messages were for people living in metros, cities, towns, suburbs and townships and were not for rural people.

But Mkhize has advised that coronavirus knows no colour, tribe or physical boundaries and it has already killed thousands of people from all walks of life irrespective of who they are.

Mkhize also cautioned that it was important that everyone played their part in the fight against the spread of the virus.

– alexm@citizen.co.za

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