THE Soweto Equestrian Centre in Rockville-Soweto will never be the same again.
Kgosi ya Dipere (Sotho for, King of Horses) in the circle- equestrian Enos Mafokate is no more.
His passing was confirmed by his musical star son, Arthur Mafokate on Thursday.
“It is with profound sadness that the Mafokate family announces the passing of our beloved Enos Mafokate – husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, mentor and pioneering South African equestrian.
We are deeply saddened by his passing and immensely proud of the extraordinary life he lived and legacy he leaves behind. His legacy will live on,” said a family statement released by his son, Arthur.
He’s only task was to see every black child on the back of a horse…
The award winning photojournalist Jacob Mawela, followed the late Mafokates’ history to such an extent he never missed any opportunity to visit his Equestrian Center.
Mawela once wrote that: ‘Morena Mosotho Mafokate is eternally grateful to Nelson Madiba Mandela for having made it possible for him to participate at the Barcelona Olympics of 1992, as a show-jumper.
So much so that at an event he had organized on Mandela Day at the Soweto Equestrian Centre which he founded in Rockville, Soweto – he made it a point to don the team jacket every athlete (including Elana Meyer) was outfitted with from that summer sporting spectacle, affectionately referred to as, his lifetime somehow conspired to converge with that of Mandela – from early 60’s Rivonia to the early 90’s of South Africa’s transition to Democracy’.
The Alexandra born in 1944, grew up under the harsh realities of apartheid.
As a boy he rode the family donkey while herding cattle on a farm near Rivonia.
A life-changing incident as a teenager led him to work as a stable hand.
‘The enterprising African youngster basically managed to convince a White peer he came across to let him “test ride” his horse whilst the former momentarily swapped his mount for his donkey.
Subsequent to that encounter, Mafokate never looked back and after some 56 years which saw the nabbing of his politically active neighbours on Liliesleaf (Sisulu and company), the demise of grand apartheid and the heralding of Democracy in 1994 – Kgosi ya Dipere gallops forth,’ wrote Mawela.
From then on, Kgosi ya Dipere never looked backed and began hobnobbing with the Kings and Queens of this world.
‘Royal Princess Anne visited the centre in 2012, and of all recognitions garnered over half a century, Mafokate rated a ‘most recent’ accolade as a cut above the rest – a medal conferred on him and former footballer, Lucas Ntuba Radebe, in April 2019’.
He also visited Queen Elizabeth II and the Prince of Wales, respectively.
‘A very appealingly crafted souvenir, it has the following inscribed onto it: Witwatersrand Agricultural Society, Enos Mafokate, Rand Show Gold Medal, Recognition for Outstanding Contribution to the South African Community.
The bottom part reads: 125th Celebration Limited edition 5/125.
You cannot help but take an immediate liking to the septuagenarian jetsetter who has literally played with the royalty of Life’, Mawela inscribed.
Mawela continued: “Celebrating 40 years of having partook in the Pietermaritzburg Royal Agricultural Show for the first time, the story of Mafokate’s genesis with horses has become the stuff of legend and frankly has a touch of risibility, especially when imagined within the prevailing background of the time back in the early sixties when a young Enos was herding cattle on a donkey around the Rivonia area – a much far cry from the latter day one.”
“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand,” once quoted Madiba in recognition of Mafokate
‘The development team which represented South Africa in the ’92 Olympiad, with Mafokate and Meyer in it, certainly could attest to the unity Madiba alluded to and whilst Mafokate may no longer be a spring chicken, the legacy he continues manufacturing on a plot of land in Rockville, is one for the youth pursuing their aspirations in 2019 and beyond,’ continued Mawela.
At once disarming and welcoming, the country’s very first Black show jumper who was the only equestrian competitor in the South African team at Barcelona, has rode for the horse-loving Maponya family (a picture on the centre’s wall depicted him with Richard’s late wife, Marina posing next to a triumphant Enos and a horse after a race) and in addition to having been paid a courtesy visit by fellow show-jumper, Princess Anne, had also been both a guest of Queen Elizabeth II and the Prince of Wales (at a polo meet) in the United Kingdom.
There are physiotherapists based at three of Soweto’s clinics in Chiawelo, Zola and Mofolo; Milmac a market leading entity in pet and animal-related supplies and care and with the payoff line: “Everything for every pet and animal”, as well as a thoughtfully arranged display of the centre’s array of glistening trophies, medals, mementos, certified achievements and acknowledgement, images (including a monochromatic studio portrait of a toddler Arthur posing alongside his dad) at the center, inter alia!
Wrote Mawela:” Elsewhere adjacent to the stables, an artist named, Mr Ek Se, was engrossed in the spray-painting of a huge-scaled image of an airborne horse with a cut-off mounted rider, on a steel shipping container. His two-year-old daughter, Imani Khanya frolicked nearby.
Explaining her presence, the artist pointed out that young as she was, she was already taking riding lessons – qualifying his setting his child on such a course as an “alternative way of raising children” whilst citing one of the benefits thereof as being the stimulating of activity. And upon enquiring regarding the artwork he was busy with, the artist, who came across and sounded like a knowledgeable and responsible parent, declared that his contribution was a gesture of appreciation of the commendable deeds Mafokate was performing for kids such as his, and the community.’
‘Imani Khanya wasn’t the only child present on the day. Rockville resident and mother, Xoliswa Nomgojo – spectating at proceedings keenly – had reason to be happy at the event.
His four-year-old crèche-attending son, Siphelele, had recently began walking by himself – thanks to the outcomes of physiotherapy administered to him at Mofolo Clinic.
“I was happy and cried tears of joy!” exclaimed the restive boy’s mother, describing the moment the young one got to walk sans assistance.
In fact, the kid got to be thrust into the spotlight when he became the subject of a demonstration of the merits of hippo therapy by being positioned on a moving horse – an exercise geared towards encouraging stability, strength, flexibility and posture. The youngster visibly enjoyed the experience so much that when one of the physiotherapists attempted to dismount from his ride, it was with an understandable reluctance on his part.’
‘Basically meaning horse therapy, hippo therapy is said to improve function in mobility through participation in daily activity, language and communication and emotional and social well-being. Utilizing the horse as treatment modality, the trio branches of occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech therapy are integrated within pre and post assessment treatments.
So that patients not only attend rehabilitation sessions at clinics but have to complement those by having fortnightly contacts with the horses at the centre – thus translating to Mafokate’s institution as not just for those with designs set on sporting escapades, but simultaneously as one for healing purposes,’ continued Mawela.
That the Soweto Equestrian Centre thrives on, is in no less a part attributed to industry partners such as Debbie Copeman’s Milmac, a major sponsor which was involved in its fourth Mandela Day, concluded Mawela.
He was (80).
Indeed Kgosi Ya Dipere ran his race.
The MEC for sport in Gauteng-Lebogang Maile also send his message of condolences to the Mafokate family on behalf of Government.
Details on memorial service and burial date will be confirmed at later stage.
Image Jacob MAWELA (Soweto Equestrian Centre founder, Enos Mafokate posed for press photographs with his son, Kwaito exponent Arthur Mafokate and two horses gifted to him, Downtown Abbey and Black Diamond, on Mandela Day – Rockville- Soweto.)
