By: Molebatsi Masedi
Every year in October, the dust of Limpopo carries a quiet sorrow. It was in October 1985 that we lost one of our finest young minds, Ngoako Frans Ramalepe. As I put the final touches on his biography set for release in 2027, I find myself reflecting on the deep mark he left on our history.
Ngoako was not just another name in the long list of apartheid victims. He was a thinker, a unifier, and a brave student leader who stood up when speaking out meant risking your life.
A Son of the Soil
Born in Munnik and raised through the pain of forced removals in Ga-Makgato, Ngoako knew hardship from an early age. His family lost their good farming land to the apartheid government. Yet, despite the hunger and hardship, he chose books over bitterness.
He studied in the bushes around his village to escape the noise at home. He passed his matric with flying colours. Even when poverty stopped him from going to university right away, he did not give up. He worked in a hat factory in Johannesburg, learned how labour unions fight for workers, and brought that wisdom back home when he enrolled at Modjadji College of Education.
At Modjadji, he became the President of the Student Representative Council. He did not care about personal fame. He cared about student rights, better food, fair treatment, and ending the cruel apartheid education system.
Ngoako, together with his comrades, liberated Bolobedu from the tight grip of the Lebowa Bantustan government. They established Student Representative Councils in high schools, built vibrant branches of the Congress of South African Students (COSAS), and established Civic Associations across the length and breadth of Bolobedu and beyond. Under his guidance, Modjadji College became a shelter for freedom fighters and a centre for real political education.
The Dark Day in October
In October 1985, police officers from the Lebowa regime arrested Ngoako alongside his fellow student leader, Robert Makoga. What followed was pure brutality. They were beaten mercilessly with heavy whips, boots, and rifle butts. The police dumped their broken bodies in the open fields near Ga-Kgapane, hoping the darkness would hide their crime.
Robert Makoga survived to tell the story, but Ngoako passed away from severe head injuries. He was only twenty-five years old. The state tried to cover up his murder by claiming he escaped, but truth has a way of rising above lies.
His funeral in Ga-Makgato turned into a massive ANC rally. The funeral also received a message of condolences from the ANC President-General Oliver Reginald Tambo, a spectacle of no comparison.
For forty years, his family waited in pain. The police officers who took his life were never brought to trial. In an attempt to find closure for the victims of apartheid atrocities, President Cyril Ramaphosa established the Khampepe Commission to investigate allegations of political interference, state collusion (including the South African Police Service and National Prosecuting Authority), and deliberate delays or efforts to stop the investigation and prosecution of apartheid-era crimes referred by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which is currently conducting hearings. But as we reflect on his life today, we know that true heroes are never buried forever. Their courage lives on in the hearts of those who remember them.
Gathering for the Memorial Lecture This Saturday
This Saturday, 24 October 2026, the community and freedom fighters will gather for a major regional event to honor this great son of the soil. The African National Congress Norman Mashabane Region, in conjunction with the Moses Phosa Branch (Ward 4, Letaba Sub-Region), will host the official Ngwako Ramalepe Memorial Lecture.
Here are the updated details for everyone attending:
- Event: Ngwako Ramalepe Memorial Lecture
- Date: Saturday, 24 October 2026
- Time: 11:30 AM (11H30)
- Venue: Mamatlepa Primary School, Kgapane
- Key Speaker / Host: Cde Hasani Ngobeni (Regional Spokesperson)
- Organizers: ANC Norman Mashabane Region & Moses Phosa Branch (Ward 4, Letaba Sub-Region)
The region invites all ANC members, comrades, students, activists, and the public at large to gather at Mamatlepa Primary School. It is an essential gathering to reflect on his contribution, support his family, and pass his legacy of selfless leadership to today’s youth.
Keeping the Flame Alive
Writing Ngoako’s biography has been a long journey. Speaking to his family, his comrades, and the witnesses who stood by him revealed a man of immense humility and strength. He did not seek money or political titles. He only wanted justice for his people.
As we go to Mamatlepa Primary School this Saturday, let us ask ourselves what lessons we can take from his life. Today, our young people face different challenges like poverty, unemployment, and lack of quality education. We need the same discipline, selflessness, and love for learning that Ngoako showed in 1985.
Ngoako Frans Ramalepe lived without fear, fought without greed, and died so that we might walk freely. His story will finally be published in full in 2027, but his legacy belongs to us every single day.
Let us gather on Saturday to say once again: Robala ka khutšo, Mogale wa Bagale. Your blood was not shed in vain.