Eulogy by Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile at the funeral service of Magashe Titus Mafolo, 3C Church, Irene

Programme Director, Bhekizwe Nkosi;
The Mafolo and Mapetla Family; 
Honourable Premier of the Gauteng Province, Mr. Lesufi;
Former President, Thabo Mbeki;
Ministers and Deputy Ministers;
Members of the Government and the Legislature;
Members of the Mayoral Committees present;
Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
Leaders of the ANC present;
Religious and Community Leaders present;
Comrades and Friends,
Fellow Mourners,
Beloved Family and Friends,
 
Good Morning, Dumelang.
We gather here this morning in this solemn moment to honour and celebrate the life of Magashe Titus Mafolo—a steadfast ANC activist, resolute public servant, thoughtful intellectual, mentor, friend, father, and dear brother. His departure leaves an immeasurable void in our hearts and in the movement he served so faithfully.
 
To the Mafolo family, we thank you for allowing us as a government to honour a life that has contributed to our country, a son to you, and a hero to many. We sympathise with the family, friends and loved ones, and pray that you may find comfort during this period. 

Indeed, Pheli (Atteridgeville) and South Africa have lost a gem, a son born in January 1956 in Sekhukhune and raised in Atteridgeville, Pretoria, Mafolo was deeply committed to the anti-apartheid struggle from a young age. Trained as a journalist, he was active in the United Democratic Front, a part of his activism being having to endure imprisonment, torture, and banning orders by the apartheid government, and not once did he waver in his commitment to freedom, justice, and equality. 
 
In the post-apartheid dispensation, Mafolo played a significant role in the reconfiguration of governance, specifically as it relates to issues of social transformation and redress, tackling major structural inequalities that characterised South Africa’s political landscape.
 
Specifically, in 1994, Mafolo was elected to the National Assembly for the ANC in South Africa's first democratic elections, where he chaired the Portfolio Committee on Housing and worked alongside the Institute for Democracy in South Africa. Some of the key policy areas that he contributed to include addressing the massive housing backlog, dealing with the architecture of apartheid spatial planning through efforts towards racial inclusion, and laying the foundation for the process to integrate housing into the Reconstruction and Development Programme under the leadership of President Thabo Mbeki. 
 
In 1998, he joined President Thabo Mbeki’s team and served for ten years as the Chief Political Advisor, a position that marked him as one of the key architects of The Presidency as the epicentre of government and an important institution to ensure that the government fulfilled its democratic objectives. Through this role, Bro Ti, as he was affectionately known, set the standard of excellence in governance and did indeed wield influence behind the scenes, setting a foundation for the institution. 
 
After serving in The Presidency, Mafolo continued his service to the nation in the Ministry of Human Settlements, where he served as Political Advisor to Minister Lindiwe Sisulu and as a member of the Ministerial Advisory Panel, tirelessly working to improve housing and living conditions across South Africa, a vocation that unassumingly followed him.
 
Family and Friends,
One of the striking qualities of Titus Mafolo was his passion for building an Afrocentric future where Africans would not be mere spectators but active architects of their destiny. He was an enthusiastic advocate for reclaiming identity, culture, and language—whether through renaming efforts like Pretoria to Tshwane or founding intellectual spaces such as The Native Club.
 
Comrade Titus was more than a political strategist — he was a thinker and a storyteller. His work includes Pheli – The Narrative History. This important Afrocentric work highlights African agency and attempts to provide a true, self-told narrative of Black South African history in contrast to colonial accounts. The book chronicles the rich history and struggle of Atteridgeville and is a key component of Mafolo's broader plan to recover African stories, which is also reflected in his later African Odyssey trilogy.
 
His monumental work, The African Odyssey Trilogy, stands as a testament to his scholarly passion and deep love for the African continent. In these three volumes, he not only traces the rich history of Africa but also reminds us that to face the challenges of today and tomorrow, we must understand the paths traversed by those who came before us. Through meticulous research and powerful narrative, he sought to ignite pride, knowledge, and determination in every African reader. 

At the launch of the African Odyssey series, Mafolo spoke of the importance of engaging young people in literary and intellectual pursuits, and of the urgent need to cultivate a culture of learning and self-awareness among future generations. His hope was simple yet profound: that African youth not only consume knowledge but create it, carrying forward the torch of understanding and progress. 
 
As the government, through various initiatives in education, arts and culture, we are striving to develop the youth in more holistic ways that develop skills and encourage expression in an era where subjects such as decoloniality have captured the interest of the youth. While advancing skills development through initiatives of the Human Resource Development Council and dealing with youth unemployment and skills through the Yes Programme and the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative, we should not lose sight of the teachings of comrade Titus on placing the African identity at the centre. 
 
Comrades and Compatriots,
The stance of the government and the African National Congress on politics in the continent has been influenced by the thinking and contributions of the likes of Comrade Tito and his comrades in the struggle. As the government, specifically, we continue to strive towards regional collaboration and consolidation of social, economic, and political efforts. 
 
In November 2025, South Africa hosted the first G20 Leaders’ Summit to be held in Africa. We consider this to be one of the ways that, as government, we have continued advancing the African ideals that comrade Titus stood for. 
Our G20 Presidency embraced an Afrocentric Leadership Model that highlighted inclusivity, participation, and consultation. Through this model, we valued inclusivity, harmony, and inter-connectedness, while focusing on creating a lively and energetic representation of the shared aspirations of a unified Africa.
 
This was a crucial moment for South Africa, symbolising not only our national objectives but also the aspirations of the African continent, as outlined in Agenda 2063, the African Union’s strategic framework, and action plan to transform Africa into an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful continent.
 
The African Union’s membership in the G20 was pivotal in amplifying African perspectives within the global economic and financial landscape. Our goal was to integrate African voices into global governance, striving for a more equitable and sustainable future consistent with the vision of the AU Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.
 
With the shifts in the geo-political landscape, South Africa remains a beacon of hope, and our work in achieving peace and stability on the continent continues. Specifically, one of the tasks allocated to me by President Cyril Ramaphosa is as Special Envoy on South Sudan and leading peace efforts on the continent. 
 
To this end, we remain committed to working towards silencing the guns in Africa, an important precursor to the future Africa that comrade Titus believed in. A peaceful Africa is indeed an Africa with a positive future shaped by African knowledge systems and ideological soundness. 
 
Comrades and Friends,
Indeed, at this juncture, we are obliged to ask what it is that we can learn from the life of Titus Mafolo. Some of the key attributes we can glean from his life include his steadfastness: through the adversity of detention, political shifts, and personal trials, he remained unshakeable in principle and purpose. 
 
He also had humility with gravitas: in that he carried immense influence without fanfare. He will be remembered for his calm dignity and warmth, and also as a mentor who nurtured a generation of activists, communicators, and intellectuals, all while uplifting his Atteridgeville community.
 
In remembering Magashe Titus Mafolo, we draw strength and inspiration from a life built on conviction, cultural identity, and intellectual courage.
 
Mafolo’s brilliance lay not just in what he said, but how he said it. Looking at some of the work that he contributed to, speeches and teachings alike, it is clear that his inclinations were informed by intellectual rigour and cultural conviction. He was a man who believed that expression is foundational to liberation—and that, through careful language and cultural pride, a nation can rediscover its soul.
 
Comrade, brother, father, leader - your life was a testament to principled leadership, humility, and unwavering service. As you depart, we honour your courage in the struggle, your shaping of democratic governance, and your tireless mentorship. You exemplified what it means to lead from the front: not for accolade or position, but for a cause greater than oneself.
 
May your legacy guide us in the years to come. Robala ka kgotso. Rest in peace, titan of conscience and champion of Ubuntu. We carry forward your work in every home built, every voice lifted, and every community awakened to its own power.
 
Your legacy lives on in the movement, in government, in every life you have touched. Aluta Continua!
 
Thank you.