Often government is criticised for not honouring unsung heroes of Apartheid, however, the Free State Provincial Government will this year celebrate one of its own on Human Rights Day in Botshabelo. The Mangaung township will commemorate Sechaba George Mahobe, a freedom fighter and activist, at the official opening of a library named after him.
According to a statement issued by the Free State Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation (SACR) on Friday 16 March, Mahobe was born on 19 December in 1972 and he first became politically active in 1988 while he was a high school learner.”As a true activist and freedom fighter, Mahobe was part of the organisers of the 1989 march against the incorporation of Botshabelo into Qwaqwa. During the new democratic dispensation, he was elected as a ward councillor in the year 2000, following the amalgamation of Botshabelo, Thaba Nchu and Bloemfontein into one municipality. In 2002, at the age of 30 years, Mahobe sadly passed on having served only two years in the council”, the statement read.
The new library will boast state-of-the art facilities such as a computer room, a toy library service, which will cater to early childhood development through games such as chess, scrabble, monopoly which many teenagers and young adults will appreciate. It will also have a lending area that caters for both children and adults, a reading area, reference section, activity hall and games room in addition to the computer room as previously mentioned and the toy library facility.
Outgoing Premier Ace Magashule, as well as other dignitaries from the provincial government, will attend this opening function, which will also incorporate other activities such as trees and vegetable garden planting. Other activities will include identifying local SMMES and NGOs in the area that have the potential for development. The provincial Department of Health will also provide healthcare services and mobile clinics, while the Department of Human Settlements will be identifying beneficiaries for new houses. The function will also see various local artists as well as the South African Police Brass Band performing and providing entertainment. The opening of the library will take place on 21 March from 08:00 to 10:00 at the Sechaba Mahobe Library in Section E, while the second part will take place at the Kaiser Sebothelo Stadium from 11:00 to 16:00.
Pulane Choane
pulane@centralmediagroup.co.za
