The history of our family
In Lesotho
At the heart of the present day South Afrika, is a tiny kingdom of and a country called Lesotho. The country is run by the monarchy as it has been since the times of Moshoeshoe, a great leader of Basotho. This is one of the few Afrikan leaders who ruled the country intelligently and with lots of wisdom.
Moshoeshoe was fortunate as he led a peaceful nation. Our family comes from that long line of Basotho who lived in the times of the great Moshoeshoe.
Our grandfather, Lesira, was born to the third house of the founder of our family, Tlaba Mochebelele. He was born to a family of seven children (follow these links for the family tree and our time line).
Going back to how our grandfather grew up, his father-Tlaba, was the least favourite of his people. He (Tlaba), our grandpa used to tell us, was the most unkind, strict and mean individual that nobody had business growing up next to.
In Peterstuyn
Our grandfather came to South Afrika in 1930, as he was running away from his 'cold' father and came to live with his uncle in a Free State town called Peterstuyn. So angry was our grandfather with his father that he did not want anything to do with him. To show his dislike for his father, went to an extend of changing his/our family name (surname) to Mofokeng. This is how we came to be known in SA due his hatred for his father-Tlaba. But it should be noted that our rightful family name is Mochebelele not Mofokeng. At his uncle life was better according to him, or it could be that his uncle was leaning more towards his actions and behavour than his father did.
So well was life going for him (grandpa Lesira) that he even fell in love with a Mokoena girl, named Kojang-who came to be our grandmother. This is a person who was able to cope with the character of our grandpa Lesira, as he himself had come to be like his own father-character speaking. Their marriage was blessed with four children. Please visit the family tree and our time line pages to learn more about Lesira Mochebelele.
In Maokeng
The whole family left Peterstuyn for Maokeng-Kroonstad in 1945. This would be the time when migrant labour system was rife, when the blacks were displaced across the country, seeking for employment. This became evident when some years after arriving in Maokeng, our grandfather left for Johannesburg to seek for employment. From then, he seldom spent time with his family. Whether he neglected his family or that he simply was not able to see them as expected, is difficult to say. Despite the fact that people might say this or that about our grandpa, we owe it to him to respect his memory and what he came to represent both as a Mofokeng and a man in his and our lifetime.
Our grandma was quiet a magnificent lady, as she was able to take care of her family of four children all by herself. She saw all her children grow up, get married and witnessed the birth of all her grand-children.
She was a daughter of a devoted Christian, hence she herself became a devoted Christian who was able to heal the people of the spiritual ills of this world. She came to be respected by her community because of her deep-rooted spirituality.
Our grandma knew how to take good care of her grand-children. We were practically brought up by her as our mothers and fathers had to work all day, with little or no rest during the weekend. However many we were, she knew how to take care of each of us, and that made us wonder how she was able to do that.
She came to pass and join the ancestors of the Bafokeng in 1982. To this day she is still looking over us, taking care of us the best way she knows how to.
Our grandpa came to settle back in Maokeng in his old age. Only then did we get to understand the kind of man he was and the impact that his upbringing had on him and subsequently his family. Our grandpa spent his last few days with his eldest son, Pakiso and his family. He finally passed on in 1986. Despite the fact he was not there for his family, he is performing tremendous acts by serving as our spiritual guide, leading the way through our problem-invested-lives.
