Elmon Tshikhudo
Controversial Limpopo businessman and ANC campaigner Steven Sefofa was described as an all-rounder, as he was into business, entertainment and politics.
Sefofa, who was popularly known as Malo A Botsheba in music circles, passed on after suffering Covid complications at the Tzaneen Mediclinic on Tuesday night.
Sefofa was born at Bolobedu, Mohlabaneng village, in the Greater Letaba Municipality. He went to Lebaka Primary School and Masopa High School.
His life was full of surprises.
In 2006, after he was already a successful musician and taxi owner, he went back to school and completed his grade 12.
In 2015, he surprised the country when he bought many bakkies and taxis ,which were used for the ANC’s election campaigns. The vehicles were all branded in ANC colours.
Then, in 2018, the music king fell on hard times. He appealed to the public for help to cope with the installments of the vehicles. Sefofa vehemently denied allegations that he deliberately smashed three of the bakkies, to spite the sheriff who came to repossess the cars.
Early this year, he had a fight with transport minister Fikile Mbalula over his branding of his taxis with pictures of disgraced ANC leaders Ace Magashule and Danny Msiza, after they were forced to step down by their organisation. The vehicles were also painted in ANC colours. He later caved in to pressure and removed the branding.
He was a staunch ANC campaigner, whose support for Zuma was not a secret. He once vowed that no one other than God would remove Zuma as president.
The family was saddened by his death, said its spokesperson Peter Monaiwa.
“Sefofa was a cultural activist who sang his songs in Khelobedu, for which he campaigned to be recognised as an official language,” he said.
“As a family we will remember him as a selfless, intelligent and humble person who took care of us financially and emotionally when we experienced difficulties,” he said.
He is survived by his mother, wife, three children and a younger brother.
He will be buried at his home village on Sunday.
