LIMPOPO – This celebration which, was held on Youth Day, 16 June, was focused on giving thanks to their customers for the loyal support they have shown over the past 40 years and to encourage people to to live a healthy lifestyle. According to Lebowa Funeral Parlour Marketing Manager, George Sethosa, the company opened its doors on 1 June 1976.
Attendees of the celebration participated in the 5 km fun run as well as aerobics.
“We have chosen a healthy lifestyle theme for our 40th anniversary celebration because we are trying to encourage a healthy mind in a healthy body.
“People think funeral parlours want them to die, which is not true. We host health and fitness campaigns often to encourage our customers and the community at large to live a healthy lifestyle,” explained Sethosa.
He further said the company started in Seshego Zone 2 and that is why they decided to host their celebration there.
Lebowa Funerals used the day to donate 50 wheelchairs to KG Maluleke Memorial Disability Intergration Organisation (Kgomano).
Kgomano is a non-profit organisations based in Polokwane. They also donated a prosthetic leg to one of their employees, Diana Makhubela, whose leg was recently amputated due to complications of an illness.
They recently also donated school uniforms to underprivileged learners from various schools and Sethosa said they will continue to assist the lesser privileged in the province. Sethosa emphasised that they are always ready to donate to various non-profit organisations in the province.
He said the day was well spent and he is happy with the way people supported them.
Mawelewele Ramphele, one of Kgomano administrators, said they are happy to receive the wheelchairs. “These wheelchairs will help us a lot because there are many disabled people who need them. Our main mission is to take disabled people from special schools to mainstream schools,” said Ramphele.
Aerobics enthusiasts got to learn new moves from different instructors who came from as far as Johannesburg to attend the celebration. This celebration was also attended by the 2012 Comrades Marathon winner, Ludwick Mamabolo.
Mamabolo said exercise is the best medicine and urged parents to support their children when they take part in various sporting codes.
He further thanked Lebowa Funerals for organising such an event to help encourage people to take part in sport and to live a healthy lifestyle.
Lebowa Funeral Parlour Director, William Matsawa Tema, also took part in the aerobics activities. Tema said he suffered from high blood pressure and had to take medication to control his blood pressure. After he started exercising and living a healthier lifestyle, he no longer requires the blood pressure medication.
He encouraged people to not undermine the power of exercise because it can heal and prevent many diseases. He thanked everyone who made the celebration a success and thanked Lebowa Funeral Parlour customers for their continued support.
Some photos from the event:
Services offered by Lebowa Funeral Parlour
Lebowa Funerals does everything relating to funerals and everyone is welcome to register for their various services for peace of mind.
“We want people to live long and healthy lives and that is why we host health and fitness campaigns to encourage the community to live a healthy lifestyle. Our aim is to change people’s perspective about funeral parlours because some still think we wish people to die so that we can make money, which is not true,” William Matsawa Tema (Lebowa Funeral Parlour, Director) explained.
He further said the founders paved the way for them and they are very proud to continue this tradition of serving families and societies with the utmost compassion and respect in their time of grief. Tema also outlined that this is the first black owned funeral parlour in Limpopo.
He said Lebowa Funeral Parlour started with only five vehicles but they now have more than 250 company vehicles and have employed more than 200 permanent staff members.
Lebowa Funeral Parlour sells policies and society packages, they also deal with programmes, refresher towels, coffin sprays, possies, grave markers, tents and chairs, and mobile toilets among other necessities needed for a funeral.
They also offer relocation of the remains to another cemetry or country where the family established permanent residence. Cost of exhumation and reburial depends on transportation, services, coffin, casket or container. Lebowa Funerals helps in burying your loved ones in the place your heart and soul desires and in the tradition of your choice. Lebowa also does catering, and designs tombstones and plaques.
endy@nmgroup.co.za
