LAST COPY: The Paparazzi
REST IN PEACE, HLHONIPHANI CHENGATA
Former Voice journalist, Hloniphani Chengeta succumbed to a short illness and passed away at Masunga Primary Hospital last week.
Chengeta who founded the Paparazzi newspaper cut his teeth in the media industry during his national service (Tirelo Sechaba) when he was attached to the Daily News and Radio Botswana as an intern.
He joined The Voice Newspaper in 1998 as a cub reporter and later moved on to The Guardian and Midweek Sun newspaper as a freelance journalist. Chengeta then took a break from the media and joined Supreme furnishers where he worked as a salesman.
Upon his return to the newsroom, Chengeta joined the Sunday Tribune newspaper before starting his own newspaper, ‘The Paparazzi’ which stopped circulating in 2011.
Chengeta once again quit the media industry to join the Administration of Justice where he worked as an interpreter at the Francistown and Gaborone’s Broadhurst Magistrates’ court.
LATE: Cengeta
After the last industrial strike he quit the civil service with an intention to revive the Paparazzi Newspaper, but he passed on before the next publication.
Chengeta was also involved in partisan politics and at some point he was elected the President of the opposition Botswana People’s Party Youth League (BPPYL).
At the time of his death he was said to be associated with the Botswana Congress Party (BCP).
Hundreds of mourners including relatives and friends are expected to throng Zwenshambe village on Saturday to pay their last respects to the fallen comrade who many loved to hate for his hard hitting, no fear and no favour reporting style.
Chengeta is survived by his two children, a boy and a girl. May his soul Rest In Peace!
Last-Copy
Rest in peace
O lathile ba le bantsi Comrate. Rest in peace
R.I.P