Thousands of mourners converged at Ha Mashamba Mukondeni on Saturday, 7 February, to pay their final respects to celebrity security officer David Sejobe. The 49-year-old Sejobe, who resided in Orange Farm, Gauteng, but was originally from Mukondeni outside Louis Trichardt, was killed in a hit-and-run incident in Johannesburg on 30 January.
Sejobe, who was well known for his humour on social media, was buried on home soil during an emotional funeral service held at the local sports field.
Sejobe’s mortal remains were received home on Friday, 6 February, by members of the Mutakalo Wanga Foundation, who also organised a fun walk in his honour. The foundation is a keep-fit organisation founded in his home village by Sejobe.
A number of cyclists also honoured the late cyclist at the funeral. Sejobe, also known as “The Bicycle Man”, rose to national prominence for his extraordinary daily 172km bicycle commute between his home in Orange Farm and his workplace at MultiChoice’s Randburg office. He was cycling to work when he was killed in the hit-and-run accident.
Before his death, Sejobe had planned to cycle from South Africa to Ethiopia in April this year. That would not have been his first international trip, as he had undertaken another in the past when he cycled from Limpopo to Zimbabwe.
Speaker after speaker spoke glowingly about the late, celebrated security officer. A colleague, Mr Kwanele Gumede, described Sejobe’s death as having left a void that will be difficult to fill. “Our work environment will be dull without him in our midst. With him in our presence, there was no dull moment. He was forever jolly and it was very nice working with him,” he said.
Mr Tshepo Mabatha of the Mutakalo Wanga Foundation said Sejobe promoted a healthy lifestyle. “We grew up together and he would walk to any destination on foot. We grew up knowing him as a bicycle man in the village and he inspired many to follow a healthy lifestyle,” he said.