The first and former Soweto Mayor during apartheid Dr. Ngoako Thebehali has died yesterday, at the age of 82 after a long time illness.
Thebehali played an outstanding role in South Africa by uplifting the infrastructure of Soweto and the well-being of the community.
Thebehali sourced an international loan and managed to secure about R268 million from different South African banks. He did this with the aim of fund electrification of the Soweto location. It was also for other several development projects such as sewage and water pipes, improvements of road infrastructure, the establishment of Soweto College of Education and relocation of Vista University. Thebehali was also a Christian devout as in 1984 he established his own church called Fourways Ministries in Orlando East, which still operate even today. While in 1994, he played an essential part in handing over title deeds to the people of Meadowlands and Diepkloof in Soweto.
Thebehali was once hated by the community he served as they said he was being used by the apartheid government. Mayors at that time had to choose the side of the apartheid government or the downtrodden. He once escaped death where angry residents petrol-bombed his house in Dube. His mayoral residents also got attacked in Pimville. The community also attacked Thebehali for giving an order of evictions to families who delayed with their rent payments. He died heading several churches as he was a religious man.
