Our Communities

Background: David Ramela and Boipatong

In 2005, David Ramela purchased a Tavern called “Strikes Place” in the Township of Boipatong. As he became more familiar with the Township and its inhabitants, something stood out for him, something that would reach to the bottom of his heart.

On June 17 1992 Inkatha Freedom Party members attacked and killed 45 people, many of whom were women and children, using “traditional weapons”. The attackers were mainly Zulu speaking who resided in the nearby KwaMadala Hostel for migrant workers.

What opened David Ramela’s eyes in 2006 was that the families and survivors of this terrible incident were all but forgotten. They lived in squalor and were desperately poor, as in many cases the breadwinner of the family was dead – their horrific ordeal on the night on June 17th 1992 was pushed aside and forgotten by the world.

David resolved then and there to do something about this injustice. Having recently become the owner of Dikgabo di Kopane (DDK), a merchandising company, and now for the first time having the financial means, he set out to make true his creed of “he who receives, must give back”.

The local councillor Mabandla Ranyoza of Boipatong was the first person that David contacted, and through Mr. Ranyoza, was personally introduced to the families and survivors of the Massacre. They told him their own stories of the events of that night and how it had effected their lives ever since. This touched David deeply and he “adopted” these families, vowing to do as much as possible to help their plight.

He began by distributing R55 000.00 worth of food parcels to the families and every year since then David has assisted in whatever way he could to ease the burden. Hiring a bus and taking the families down to Durban for a weekend holiday, some of whom had never seen the sea before.

Cape Town was also one of the destinations that was visited one year and during the FIFA Soccer World Cup, he managed to take a busload to Bloemfontein on the 17th June to watch a soccer match instead of them dwelling on the events of that day 18 years ago.

David’s generosity has known no bounds, he established the Bana Ba Modimo Boipatong Massacre Trust with the view to create a platform so that a grocery franchise company can be purchased. To this end many of the victims and survivors can be employed and trained in an effort to create a sustainable venture. Since then the Sebideng Municipality has pledged R15 000.00 to this trust, and the Mayor, His Worship Sy Mofokeng, in his personal capacity has pledged R5 000.00.

But this is not all that this exceedingly generous man has done. The Good Hope Children’s home in Sharpville also benefits from food parcels and financial support. And on the 18th July 2010, in commemoration of Mandela Day, David arranged for Aaron Mokoena, the captain of Bafana Bafana, to meet with these children doing his 67 minutes for community service. Aaron was also so deeply touched by these little people that he has also pledged assistance through his own Aaron Mokeona Foundation.

This year, David is hoping to bring some closure for the victims and survivors of the Boipatong Massacre by organizing the Sebideng Municipality to donate and erect tombstones for these families. Through his company, DDK, he is sponsoring an extensive unveiling ceremony on 24th July which will be attended by over 1000 people ranging from political dignitaries, church representatives, priests, survivors and families of the victims, media representatives and other VIP’s.

Assisted by Motseki Mabuya Foundation, David’s company DDK, has organized, supplied and delivered all the elements of the event.