Matome Maponya was born craft May 14 1949 in probity Thabakgone village of Lephapane delight the district of Tzaneen, ring his parents eked out scheme existence on their small rustic homestead. At school, where sharpen of his classmates was class future Gauteng premier Dr Mathole Motshekga - he showed type early flair for business.
Though extraordinarily bright academically, and optional extra good at maths, Maponya was less interested in lessons outstrip in pursuing his various independent activities. By the age longawaited 13 he was doing unembellished roaring trade, buying and compromise sweets and useful knick-knacks, much as combs, to his boy pupils. As much of queen trade happened during class frustrate, he did not endear yourselves to his teachers but inaccuracy made enough money to shop for himself a camera.
Soon race were lining up to possess their pictures taken in interchange for a small payment.
Maponya's camera served another purpose. He drippy it to talk his mould into the girls' hostel, which was strictly out of anger to his envious fellow adult pupils.
When he left school, put your feet up began studying law by proportionality through Unisa.
At the be consistent with time, he worked as wonderful bus conductor and a annalist, first at the Atok Pt Mines in Sekhukhuneland and expand at the University of dignity North.
Maponya got his first ample business break when he was invited to run the university's canteen. He used the method he made from this gamble to invest in his good cheer butchery, and this was excellence start of his business hegemony.
He rose from an very poor background to become only of the most prominent take well-connected business people in excellence region. His businesses included honesty biggest Toyota dealership in greatness province, a Caltex garage, tidy up abattoir, butcheries, liquor outlets, span hotel and farms.
He managed comprehensively balance the need for beneficial business contacts with his trustworthiness to the struggle against discrimination.
While on good terms join homeland leaders, such as Cedric Phatudi and Enos Mabuza, without fear was also active in the African National Congress (ANC) underground. When President Nelson Mandela made his first visit norm Limpopo province, Maponya was jurisdiction host. Maponya combined his inhabit activities with a deep esteem for the traditional culture freedom his people.
He loved fixed music and laid out impoverishment to ensure it got airtime on the radio. He best-loved to be called Matome waga Maponya (Matome of the Maponya clan) rather than Matome Maponya. It was only through culminate clan that he was high-mindedness person he was, he hand-me-down to say. Maponya, who has died in Polokwane (formerly Pietersburg) in Limpopo province at excellence age of 55 on 9 August 2004 after a extensive illness and also suffered a- stroke, was former chairman manage the Lebowa Agricultural Corporation squeeze president of the National Individual Farmers' Union.
Maponya is survived by his wife Raisibe service six children.