WeeklySA_AdminINITIATIVE:Honour bestowed on veteran community builders who sought to ease life for the community under apartheid…
By WSAM Reporter
Last Saturday saw the community of Soweto’s Pimville township acknowledge the good deeds of its pathfinders at the local community centre.
Those honoured included golf champion Fly Mojaki, HIV/Aids & LGBTQI activist Joyce Machapa, civil activist Thabang Moloi, kickboxing guru Sensei Ace Moloi, Orlando Pirates Pimville Branch head Esther Lebelo, former R P Mosaka Primary School principal Babedi Kungoane.
Also celebrated at the occasion were oldies who played for one-time professional football club Pimville United oldies and Vuka Uzenzele Pimville oldies.
At 90, community builder, promoter and scoutmaster Joe Mawela oozed energy and gait belying his nonagenarian age. Like others whose selfless, lifelong endeavours in service to their community, the Alexandra-born community builder lapped up the honour with pride and typical emotional reticence of a battle-hardened soldier.
Mawela had come a long way from dropping out of teacher’s studies at Botshabelo Training Institution in Middleburg to finding his destiny in Johannesburg. No sooner than he had found his footing in the golden city than he embarked on activities to better the lot of communities by co-founding D & F Promotions with Federation of South African Amateur Bodybuilders founder, Frans Khunou and Derrick Makhene, in Mofolo, Soweto.
Serving as the entity’s secretary, Mawela threw passion into advancing the creative talents of Africans under apartheid in recreational pursuits such bodybuilding, beauty pageants, fashion shows, Monkey Jive contests, music and soccer.
Together with his cousin, Jan, they established Mofolo Dynamos football club, from which professional outfits such as Orlando Pirates scouted players. Music being his other passion, Mawela sunk his teeth into promoting musical acts such as The Beaters (later Harare) and Abigail Kubheka. He also devoted time to children, organising best-dressed kids’ competitions under the sponsorship of renowned boxing promoter Mike Segal.
A father of four (including erstwhile Drum magazine photojournalist Jacob), Bra Joe – as he is affectionately referred to in his community – was also a scoutmaster who has taught the chivalrous discipline to schoolchildren at Pimville schools such as, St. Peter Claver, R P Mosaka, Leihlo, Tshebedisano, et cetera.
Back in the 80’s, Mawela petitioned then National Party’s Constitutional Development Minister Gerrit Viljoen for the construction of the Pimville Community Centre. It was befitting that the venue hosting his honouring is a landmark in whose existence he had a hand, including the local Post Office.
A modern complex comprising a large hall, gymnasium, swimming pool, library, tennis courts and bowling green – it is testament to endeavours of a visionary’s will to see his fellow residents living by with life’s basic amenities.
When the then DA’s Herman Mashaba became Joburg’s first citizen, this tireless neighbour of legendary educationist and fellow nonagenarian, DD Dhliwayo, then petitioned him in turn for the construction of humps along Modjadji Drive – the busy road linking neighbouring Kliptown and Baragwanath taxi rank. For the sake of schoolchildren from St Peter Claver Roman Catholic School, he was also instrumental in the installation of traffic lights along the selfsame route.
On a sunny and warm spring day, local civic organisation, MTHM (Making Things Happen Movement), decided to remember the good deeds of Pimville heroes and heroines with the express approval of local councilor, Lizzy Mabaso, and the support of local businesses through a celebratory event at the Pimville Community Centre.
