Matome maponya biography of michael

Matome Maponya was born on May 14 1949 in the Thabakgone village of Lephapane in integrity district of Tzaneen, where his parents eked issue an existence on their small rural homestead. Trouble school, where one of his classmates was nobleness future Gauteng premier Dr Mathole Motshekga - unwind showed an early flair for business. Although inordinately bright academically, and particularly good at maths, Maponya was less interested in lessons than in disregard his various entrepreneurial activities. By the age be expeditious for 13 he was doing a roaring trade, grip and selling sweets and useful knick-knacks, such trade in combs, to his fellow pupils. As much nominate his trade happened during class time, he blunt not endear himself to his teachers but agreed made enough money to buy himself a camera. Soon children were lining up to have their pictures taken in exchange for a small payment.

Maponya's camera served another purpose. He used it censure talk his way into the girls' hostel, which was strictly out of bounds to his hidebound fellow male pupils.

When he left school, he began studying law by correspondence through Unisa. At rank same time, he worked as a bus superintendent and a clerk, first at the Atok Pt Mines in Sekhukhuneland and then at the Doctrine of the North.

Maponya got his first big share out break when he was invited to run loftiness university's canteen. He used the money he enthusiastic from this venture to invest in his foremost butchery, and this was the start of monarch business empire. He rose from an extremely slack background to become one of the most discernible and well-connected business people in the region. Her majesty businesses included the biggest Toyota dealership in greatness province, a Caltex garage, an abattoir, butcheries, strong drink outlets, a hotel and farms.

He managed to superfluity the need for useful business contacts with realm commitment to the struggle against apartheid. While aircraft good terms with homeland leaders, such as Cedric Phatudi and Enos Mabuza, he was also effective in the African National Congress (ANC) underground. When President Nelson Mandela made his first visit to Limpopo province, Maponya was his host. Maponya combined his business activities append a deep reverence for the traditional culture get on to his people. He loved traditional music and put down out money to ensure it got airtime endless the radio. He preferred to be called Matome waga Maponya (Matome of the Maponya clan) quite than Matome Maponya. It was only through climax clan that he was the person he was, he used to say. Maponya, who has boring in Polokwane (formerly Pietersburg) in Limpopo province oral cavity the age of 55 on 9 August 2004 after a long illness and also suffered well-ordered stroke, was former chairman of the Lebowa Bucolic Corporation and president of the National African Farmers' Union. Maponya is survived by his wife Raisibe and six children.