Family, friends, colleagues, comrades, educationalists and the people of Free State gathered in Bloemfontein on Sunday to bid farewell to the late Education MEC Tate Makgoe.
Makgoe and his bodyguard, Warrant Officer Vuyo Ralikontsane lost their lives in a car crash in the early hours of last Sunday outside Winburg on the N1 in the Free State.
Makgoe was laid to rest in an official provincial funeral in Bloemfontein on Sunday.
He fully led the FS education department since 2009 and during his period, the province achieved the best matric results in the country for the past four years.
Delivering a message on behalf of the widow, Ivy Makgoe, the family representative highlighted the moments that the wife and family shared with him in the past years.
"To my loving husband, father of my children, my best friend, my compass, my Mr Makgoe, it is with a heavy heart that I write this message and bid you farewell so suddenly and so soon.
You have been a tower of strength in our lives, our protector, advisor and guardian angel. Love and humility have shaped our lives together and I am grateful to God for bringing us together.
You were quite a visionary and had a unique ability to drive us to fulfil our dreams. Our lives were shaped by an attitude of foresight, brilliance and wisdom. You managed to protect our family and helped us understand the importance of serving the people of this country.
You were the best father to your children, they were not spoiled with finer things in life but you always asked them to work hard and make sure they succeed.
You encouraged them to be entrepreneurs because you believed that that is a space as black people we have not tapped into, you encouraged them to be employers, not employees and explained that they create employment and compete internationally for contribution to Economic Development.
"We love you and will always remember you, Ntate Makgoe," his widow said in the letter.
Makgoe's wife mentioned his husband called him a 'mother of engineers' because he was passionate about his children studying engineering at University.
The Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Reginah Mhaule, speaking on behalf of the Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi, extended her sincere condolences to the Makgoe family.
"As Gauteng Provincial Government, we declare that what we used to cherish has left us, what we used to celebrate is now more and what was used to be around us is no longer around us. I come here limping and speechless, hurt and disturbed, lost and disorientated. One person made us all come together today but that person is not here with us today, only his remains are with us," she said.
Mhaule described him as a committed cadre of the ANC, a revolutionary cadre of the education struggles, a comrade and activist of community empowerment, "our MEC, champion, simply the best"
In the speech read by Mhaule, Panyaza said they had tested and teased each other, cared for the education of their children and we competed heavily. He said he conquered them, and Makgoe conquered them forever.
"I consoled myself by declaring, 'ya madoda ayi pheli' and you responded ke tla le otla le be le tlwaele ho otliwa. Indeed we are used to that and we will always remember you when we release the results," he said.
ANC Secretary-General (SG), Fikile Mbalula, said “Today we bid farewell to Comrade Tate Makgoe, in Mangaung, Free State. Cde Tate Makgoe will be remembered for his humility and tireless commitment to the cause of liberation. May his soul rest in peace, and his family receive our prayers and condolences.”
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