Mr Amos Monki Motsepe is remembered as a man whose faith was expressed quietly through service. His funeral was held on 26 August 2026 at Most Holy Redeemer Church in Mmakau, followed by his burial at the Mmakau burial site. He was among the first members of the CMA at the church and was described as humble, peaceful and deeply committed to the Catholic faith.
The funeral was attended by many people, including fellow members of the Bakgatla ba Mmakau royal clan, Mmakau residents, former teachers from the Roman Catholic Primary School, old friends and colleagues, and family members who had travelled from far and wide. His death has been mourned by the CMA, Most Holy Redeemer Church and the wider Catholic community of the Archdiocese of Pretoria.
Motsepe’s home is literally next door to the church, and he grew up in the church grounds, attending the Roman Catholic Primary School, the predecessor of today’s Morekolodi Primary School. He and his contemporaries learned to work with their hands by helping the missionaries with maintenance work at the mission, including Fr Lino Inama and Br Joseph Modena of the old Stigmatine Fathers.
After the missionaries departed, they took up much of the work themselves. Motsepe became known for quietly attending to whatever needed to be done around the church, from cutting grass and trimming trees to planting flowers, cleaning and repairing. For many years, he also served as a Minister of the Eucharist, assisting at Mass and other services when needed, including funerals, and distributing Holy Communion at these occasions. He was also a member of the Bakgatla ba Mmakau royal family, the Motsepe family, whose history with the Church stretches back to the very beginning of the Most Holy Redeemer Mission.
His faith was rooted in a simple conviction. “I am a Catholic because I love my Creator, my God. Everything else comes afterwards,” he said. Those words captured the place of faith in his life. He did not seek recognition for his service, believing that caring for the Church was ultimately an act of serving God.
At his funeral, Motsepe was remembered for the work he did quietly and without seeking recognition. The presence of his former teachers from the Roman Catholic Primary School, old friends and colleagues, was a reminder of how closely his life was tied to Mmakau and the Church from his childhood. For those who knew him, his faith was seen in the way he looked after the church and helped wherever he could. He is remembered as a devoted Catholic, a veteran CMA stalwart and a member of the Bakgatla ba Mmakau royal family.
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