The death of Makuleke’s village historian and ‘encyclopedia’ Herry Hasani Baloyi mourned

The funeral was also attended by Acting Makuleke Hosi Humphrey H Mugakula

By Giyani Baloi

Herry Hasani, Hasani 
Wa Makasani, Makasani 
Wa Kamela. Kamela  
Wa Nghatsani on and on like that until wherever. That’s how most African ancestry tree gets counted.  

Herry Hasani Baloyi was born on 13 April 1946 at old Makuleke and passed on 30 September 2024.  He was buried in Makuleke on Saturday, October 5, 2024. That’s according to his official identity document and that makes him 78 years old.  But we all know that, most dates of birth records in most black Africans are not true records of their actually birth dates because of various reasons that may include; forgotten date of births, the late uncle or sister’s children that needs to be placed in and be helped by the uncle or aunt to get their birth certificates.  And so the dates of the uncle or aunt’s children must be adjusted to fit in the others in the family. 

Herry Hasani passed on after suffering a stroke for about 3 months. His children said, much as they will miss him, but they feel like he has rested because after the stroke he couldn’t do anything for himself and they were forced to assist him in almost anything as he could not move, sit or eat on his own.  He was one of the remaining few elders of the Makuleke village who was born in the old  Makuleke  that was destroyed by government  by relocating the villagers to the new one to accommodate the Kruger National Park game Reserve.  He was like the village’s historian and encyclopedia.  

“Uncle Herry used to regale me with the old Makuleke’s stories”, said Pauline his twin sister’s daughter who is a teacher herself. 

Humphrey Baloyi his third born son born after the two sisters said: “His father has set a good example to them in that since his mother passed on 19 years ago, they never saw him bring  in a mistress at home”.  This is usually a contentious in most families where the remaining parent tries to move on after the passing of the other. The children always feel like a new person is replacing their departed mother or father.  The new person will benefit from whatever is left behind by the departed mother or father. Especially when the children are adults themselves.  

The Makuleke community turned up in their numbers to bide their final farewell to one of Makuleke’s elders and every person that spoke at his memorial service never missed to mention Herry’s love and peaceful way.  

Acting Hosi Humphrey H Mugakula when his turn to speak came said, “I am here as part of my duty to be there with the community on matters like these in my village and the surrounding villages. But, on this one I am also here as a great grandson to (kokwani Herry) meaning grand father Herry because my great grandfather was born by Nghatsani’s daughter and Nghatsani is kokwani Herry’s great grandfather. He described Herry as a loss of a referral on matters to do with Makuleke village anecdote. Herry never needed to refer to any written information when it comes to Makuleke information, he could just say anything from the top of his head as he had lived both the new and old Makuleke.”

Hosi Humphrey H Mugakula took the opportunity to warn the Zion Christian Church members (ZCC), to live the life reflected on the badge they wear, because some of them demonstrate any sign of being Christian in terms of their general behavior and actions.  Herry was a ZCC member, so the memorial service and his burial was handled by his church together with his funeral society PAULSRORO FUNERAL SERVICE AND TOMBSTONE. 

Hosi also  warned, especially the Joburgers, those who leave the village as humble community members, go to seek greener pastures in Johannesburg only  come back as rowdy fellows trying to demonstrate to the Makuleke community that they have learned good English in Johannesburg and start disregarding their customs left by their forebears.