We at the Botswana Movement For Democracy (BMD), and we have no doubt all the peoples of Botswana as well, reacted with shock as the news of Rre Baledzi Gaolatlhe’s passing was announced. Many of us can testify to his goodness, to his honesty and integrity, to his lack of concern for the material things in life, to his remarkable intellect, always seeking answers to the economic problems of our country, always examining all aspects of a matter, always seeking the truth. Those of us who knew him knew his wishes for our country and its peoples, his dreams, and his plans.
He was an extraordinary light that shown in our country for many years. He was, indeed, a giant-indomitable in courage, unflagging in zeal, steadfast in purpose, total in commitment, clear-sighted in vision, irreproachable in character, and yet simple in manner. Perhaps the single most noteworthy aspect of his personality was that he was free of any meanness or narrowness of vision. At a time when in our country there is a sharp divide between red and orange, force and love, war and peace, arrogance and humility, his voice would have been heard on the side of reconciliation and national unity.
As a people, we are all the richer for his life and the gift of it. Like the ripples in a pond, his work has spread out and touched the lives of all our people. We count it a privilege to have known him. He showed by example what can be achieved through honesty, integrity, dedication, and commitment. He left us with hope and inspiration. He has left us a proud legacy which lives on. All of us must carry the torch he lit so many years ago.
We feel particularly sad that Rre Gaolatlhe did not have at least some time to rest, reflect on the struggles and achievements of a great life, and write down for us and succeeding generations the experiences and lessons of an extraordinary lifetime…He deserved at least a few quiet years in the bosom of his family and the nation. Of course, he would have scoffed at such suggestions. He would have wanted to work hard to the end. He was not cut to be a bystander. Still those years of peace and writing he might have had are a loss to the rest of us. His memories written down, and reflections refined by deeper thought, would have provided an absolutely unique picture of Botswana and its history in a long and abundantly filled life.
Rre Gaolatlhe can rest comfortably in the secure knowledge that he fulfilled for his country much more than could be expected from a single human being, even one as exceptional as he. You and your family should be kind to yourselves during this sad time, for we pray for the time when your sadness and grief is gently replaced by smiles and pleasant memories. Remember that you were truly blessed to have had him in your lives, as were we all. As Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said, he spoke well he who said that graves are the footprints of angels. Perhaps above us are not stars that we see, but rather openings in Heaven where the love of your lost one pours through and shines down upon you to let you know that he and Zingisa are happy and in tranquil rest. While it is right that you should mourn his passing, remember that Zingisa is rejoicing to meet him behind the veil. Even as you are sorrowful, look again in your hearts, for you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight. May his soul rest in the most eternal peace, and your hope and faith in the future re-ignited.
(Sidney Pilane)
On behalf of the Botswana Movement For Democracy
