/ 22 March 2019

Slice of life: Ke Mohlalefi, nna

Slice Of
With pride: Martin Masitise. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Mohlalefi is my great-great-great-grand-father’s name. He was an adviser to one of King Moshoeshoe I’s sons. His actual name was not known, not even by his descendants, because he relocated from one village to another. But because of his conduct and the way he was, he became known as “Mohlalefi” (Intelligent One).

I was always so fascinated about why he is such a legend. At family gatherings my uncles would say: “Ke Mohlalefi nna!” because it’s our clan name and they would say it with so much pride.

I have been an engineer for 10 years. After I graduated I worked for about eight years before I started my company, Mohlalefi Engineering. We started with just one employee back in 2017 and now we employ 32 people.

We are growing steadily, our name is out there now. Ga o re “Mohlalefi” at a mine, they know who you are talking about. — Martin Masitise (32), as told to Tebogo Tshwane