By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile delivered the eulogy at the special provincial funeral of former North West premier and veteran politician Kaobitsa Bushy Maape.
Maape died on Saturday, 16 May 2026, aged 68, after a period of illness.
His funeral service was held at Huhudi stadium in Vryburg on Saturday, attended by family, friends, political leaders and government officials.
President Cyril Ramaphosa accorded Maape a special provincial funeral, which includes ceremonial honours by the South African police service (SAPS).
Reflecting on Maape’s life, Mashatile praised his resilience, commitment to the struggle against apartheid, and passion for education, saying he used learning as a tool to uplift and inspire communities.
“When giving his life for the people, the only reward comrade Bushy Maape sought, was not wealth nor recognition but the upliftment of the poor and the marginalised. He longed to see rural communities rise from the grip of poverty, to see dignity restored.”
He told the mourners that Maape believed democracy was not just about voting but about changing lives through better education, jobs and services.
He called on everyone to carry forward the legacy of service that Maape left behind. He reminded mourners that the best way to honour the late premier was to continue building the kind of province and country Maape fought for – one where every person has a fair chance.
Premier Lazarus Kagiso Mokgosi, who took over when Maape stepped down in June 2024, described how his predecessor helped bring stability and focus back to provincial government.
Under Maape’s leadership the province started turning the corner on service delivery and good governance.
Memorial services had already taken place earlier in the week – one in Mahikeng on Thursday and another in Vryburg on Friday – giving friends and community members time to share stories about the man they called a torch bearer, a transformation agent and a visionary.
A former Robben Island prisoner, Maape has served both his organisation the African National Congress (ANC) and the democratic Government for many years spanning positions as a senior government official, Member of Ministerial Advisory Committee, member of the Municipal Demarcation Board, Special Advisor to Premier Job Mokgoro and as the 7th Premier of North West Province in 2021.
He was recruited into the underground structures of the ANC during the apartheid era and became an operative within the liberation movement. In 1986, he was imprisoned for his political activities and incarcerated on Robben Island, where he continued pursuing education and intellectual development despite the harsh conditions of apartheid imprisonment.
His passion for education remained a defining feature of his life, as he believed deeply in the power of learning to liberate and uplift communities. Following his release, he served the people in various leadership roles, including as Chairperson of the ANC in the Kgalagadi region, senior government official in the North West Province.
Maape was born on 28 July 1957 in Vryburg. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and economics from the University of South Africa which he completed while imprisoned on Robben Island. Maape is survived by six children and five siblings.