A Life Lived Above Board ~ A Tribute to Prof Bongani Augustine Khumalo by Sihlangule Siwisa

My late uncle, Professor Bongani Augustine Khumalo, once said to me that I should never be afraid of putting myself under pressure by declaring what I am about to do and then performing.

It is because of such pearls of wisdom that I elected to write a tribute to him as we recently bid farewell to his mortal remains.

Prof Bongani Augustine Khumalo was a Titan in Business, A Paragon of Integrity and Moral Justice in society who served in the highest office in the Land as well as a well respected Captain of Industry in the State Owned Companies sector as a former Deputy CEO at Eskom and a former Chairperson of Transnet. 

A scholar steeped in the nuances of communication, having read for a Masters in Corporate and Political Communication at Fairfield University in Connecticut in the US.

Having said that he was prouder of being A Father, A Husband, uMalume wabatshana kunye noTatomkhulu wabazukulwana bakhe

The title of my tribute is A Life lived Above Board. 

Those of you who know him will remember that this was a publication he pioneered on the need for Frugality and Good Governance in Business 

He was rooted in Culture and Tradition and he had a very acute sense of humour.

As abatshana we were often delighted by stories of how he once gave a lift to a lady who turned out to be a ghost who disappeared in the backseat while the car was in motion.

This is why I elected to make this tribute as light hearted and as profound as he was.

uMama uMakazi uNelisa Khumalo and the Family received a deluge of messages of comfort from all four corners of our country and continent.

Among these I can count Dr Reuel Khoza, Sandile Zungu, Former President Thabo Mbeki, our former First Lady Zanele Mbeki and the Thabo Mbeki Foundation. uMama also told me that Isilo samabandla onke, uNkosi uGoodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu, kunye noMntwana kaPhindangene, uPrince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, bakhala kanye nathi.

uBaba had a special place in his heart for young people and we all count it a privilege to have sat at his feet.

He was a Mentor kwabafana bakhe abangasekhoyo uNkonzo, uXoli no Ntokozo as well as a Proud Father kaMzilikazi noMakhosazana.

The love story ka Malume noMakazi uManesh belongs to the ages. He lovingly referred to her as Nesh and she called him Bong.

He was a deep thinker and an eloquent speaker. But above all, he kept his hands clean in business at times to the detriment of his own entrepreneurial pursuits.

Some of his peers in business who amassed fortunes by adopting methods that he did not subscribe to often mocked him by saying, 'wena Mtungwa uzodla I integrity...'

When all is said and done, though we grieve his departure, we are not in despair because uBaba left no kind word unsaid and no kind act left unacknowledged.

Hamba Mtungwa!

Hamba Mzilikazi ka Mashobane!

Hamba Mnakwethu kaDlangamandla noMphephetwha, noNdoni yamanzi no Malume uGaylard.

Hamba Sthandwa seNkosazana kaFulinzima noNogesi!

Lala Thole laboNyamakayishi isha ngamabhebhezeli!

Phumla ngoxolo Man of God!

Ugqatso ulufezile...

Cambalala ngoku. De uvuswe lixilongo!

I thank You