Michael Kitso Dingake – A humanist passes on

Metlhaetsile Leepile | Monday April 15, 2024 06:00

Only last year February, his nephew, Martin Dingake and his wife, Dikeledi had hosted family, friends and well-wishers at their farm outside Thamaga along the Molepolole road.

The occasion was the celebration of his 95th birthday. Dingake is well-known for his struggle credentials, especially his exploits in Apartheid South Africa, where he had joined the African National Congress (ANC) as a youth activist back in 1952. ‘Bra Mike’, as he was popularly known, was born in Bobonong, the son of peasants – his father Kitso, who died overseas fighting Hitler’s war – and mother Sekoro – who he was very fond of. His parents were strong believers in education.

They sent young Dingake, for his middle school education in Rooderpoort, South Africa. It was here that he came face to face with the stark realities of Apartheid. It was not long before he enlisted as an ANC cadre. Mike was a political animal to the marrow. That is what made him tick – and put him in trouble with the powers that be! The Apartheid regime imprisoned him for 15 years in the penal colony of Robben Island for his activism. He was released from prison in May 1981 and came back to Botswana. I once asked him why he did not remain down south to enjoy the fruits of his struggles.

His response: “Botswana is my home by birth, in spite of residence and political involvement in South Africa”. Mike was a member of the Botswana People’s Party (BPP) at inception. He would later follow Motsamai Mpho when the latter was expelled from the BPP and set up the Botswana Independence Party (BIP). Subsequently, he met with Kenneth Koma who convinced him to join the Botswana National Front (BNF) “to defeat the conservative Botswana Democratic Party.” When the BNF splintered in 1998, he became leader of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP). At the time, he was a serving Member of Parliament for the Front.

At his 95th birthday party last year, I asked him about his take on the current crop of politicians, the opposition in particular. He did not mince his words. “I am very much disappointed with the behaviour of some in the leadership. The dishonesty, the lack of real commitment to the project of Batswana’s livelihood, the failure of the leadership to groom youth leaders, the failure to underline the importance of mass political activism instead of posturing by some seeking desperate recognition and power mongering. I am quite unamused.”

During his time in gaol, he obtained three degrees by correspondence with UNISA- Political Science(1974), Public Administration (1977) and Business and Economics (1981). Following his return ro Botswana, he was jobless for a while. For a man of letters, one could only assume that it was his political affiliation that stood on his way to get a job. In one of his writings he says the manager of the bank where his wife Tebogo worked in Lobatse, had offered him a job. But the wife would not have any of it as she was uncomfortable working in the same place with her husband! He would later join the University of Botswana as purchasing manager.

I first got to know Mike in the mid-eighties through his bosom friend, Patrick van Rensburg, the founder of Mmegi wa Dikgang. In 1987 I was appointed editor of the paper, and secretary of the trust that owned a majority stake in the operation. Rre Dingake was the founding chairman of the Trust. Over time, we became very good friends, and I got to know his family quite well. I will remember Mike not only for his humility, but his business-like attitude. A stickler to time, if you failed to turn up at a meeting with him at the appointed time, you could bet you would not find him if you came 10 minutes late! Mike was an avid reader and prolific writer, a trait that shaped his mind as a broad-minded person. He read widely to keep himself abreast with current affairs. He wrote five books – the last one, My Mother was a Woman (London, Austin Macauley Publishers,2022.) For many years, he maintained a column in the Mmegi newspaper. He also had a page on Facebook. He read books, from the general to the classics; economics, political economy and literature. He read newspapers a lot. “I am by nature an independent thinker, much helped by reading general philosophies,” he would say. “I am a humanist, who believes that each and every man lives for each other. Our mission in life as human beings is to have concern for each other, lift each other and make this a better world to live in for ourselves, our children and posterity.”

These sentiments were underlined earlier this week, by former SA president Thabo Mbeki – who in April 2007 bestowed Mike with the Order of the Grand Companions of OR Tambo (gold category)– in recognition of his contribution to the SA liberation struggle. He described Mike as “an outstanding pan African patriot who played an important role in the politics of Botswana as he did in South Africa. He was both a Motswana and a South African. It is very sad he has passed way. But life catches up with all of us. He was 96 and I think we should celebrate his life.”

And what was Mike’s secret to longevity? It’s all in the genes,” he quipped once I posed the question. “We tend to live long in our family”. Wife Tebogo explained that when it comes to food, “he eats just about anything. He enjoys squash (leraka), bogobe ja lerotse, fruits - especially pineapples, apples, papaya and paw. He avoids fats and does not take large portions.” Until he had a freak accident a few years ago, he walked a lot. He also sleeps well. Anytime during the day he sleeps, but can be restless at night if he slept during the day. He watches a lot of TV, his favourite sport being football and tennis. He views reading as a form of relaxation.”

Mike was previously married to the late Edna from Bobonong. He is survived by his second wife Tebogo (nee Lesona), a Molepolole native who he married in 1987; four adult children: Tebogo (68), an engineer who lives in Johannesburg; Gosego (59) – perhaps the most famous of his children who is resident in South Africa, and, like her father, served the ANC in the struggle; Sithembiso (48) a fund manager who lives in Gaborone, and Lesang (38) who is in the tech industry, currently based in Cape Town. There are 10 grand children and 11 great grand children (dikokomana) altogether