Memories of Advocate Simmy Maropeng Lebala

In memory of

Advocate Simmy Maropeng Lebala

Midrand, South Africa

February 18, 1963 - August 15, 2020

Feb 18, 1963 - Aug 15, 2020

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Maredi Mongalo

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Maredi Mongalo

Great friend, brother and kind soul. Forever love you my friend

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Mamphare Dube

My only brother. My strength you were. I miss you so dearly. You will forever be in my heart. Love you forever.

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Ugen Govender

i cannot believe that it has been three years already. i do however take comfort that he is watching down on us and giving us hope and positivity.

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Reabetsoe Motsepe

2013

He was a loving and protective brother I nver had biologically. I was being abused to the extreme by my husband. He is the only person who had the courage to fearlessly stand up against this husband, just like a biologically big brother would. That certainly made a huge difference in how fearlessly this husband used to abuse me. He feared and believed Simzo's threats if he dared to harm me again.

I trully felt safe in my marriage knowing Simzo was there in the event of a threat, yet in reality Simmy was a gentle person who wouldn't harm a fly.

I still cry for Simmy Lebala. I still feel a part of me is lost. The passing of Simmy is my personal loss.

REABETSOE MOTSEPE

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Madala Mthembu

Knowing Simmy was pure delightful. His brain was ever in motion & what he said in my company confirmed brilliance and pure thought analysis, even when his views were not persuasive. We would laugh at our own inadequacies & admit we could not be everything. Simmy’s memory will live forever & I thank Tefo Raditapole for introducing me to him.

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Mduduzi Mthembu

Madala Mthembu

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Ester Maleaka

Rest well Simmy Lebala i just heard about your passing today

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Comments:

Lethabo Seboni

He is resting with the lord and healed. He is resting with the lord and healed. He is resting with the lord and healed.

Ester Maleaka

Thank you i didn't even know he was sick i spoke with him during first lock down i wanted him to help me ... Read more Thank you i didn't even know he was sick i spoke with him during first lock down i wanted him to help me with business issues ... Read more Thank you i didn't even know he was sick i spoke with... Read more

Tshidi Setai

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Setšhephi Thema

Death be not proud! Fare thee well, Bro.

A moya wa gago o robale ka khutšo, Ntate Lebala SC.

Namaste!

SJ Setšhephi Thema

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Kholofelo Aphane

Indeed you ran your race and you ran it good, Sir. Now it is time for us whose lives you touched to honour your legacy. Namaste!!
Loatile, Son, go out there and let your light shine, keep hope alive.
Namaste!!

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Phina Mojapelo

2020, New Jerusalem Children's Home, Steyn Road, President Park AH, Midrand, South Africa

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Molefi Moloantoa

You are both in heaven working on building a new form of New Jerusalem Children's Home. May your souls rest... Read more You are both in heaven working on building a new form of New Jerusalem Children's Home. May your souls rest in peace. You are both in heaven working on building a new form... Read more

Phina Mojapelo

New Jerusalem Children's Home, Steyn Road, President Park AH, Midrand, South Africa

Nwabisa Mveke

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Phumzi Phala

❤ ❤ ❤

Molefi Moloantoa

You are both in heaven building the a new form of New Jerusalem Children's Home. May your souls continue ... Read more You are both in heaven building the a new form of New Jerusalem Children's Home. May your souls continue to rest in peace. You are both in heaven building the a new form of New... Read more

Zilpha Raphesu

You have indeed fought the good fight, you have finished the race and kept the faith. Go well SM - go well my senior - go well my friend.

May your soul rest in eternal peace.
Love and Light.

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Matshidiso Mohlaba

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Lwazi Bakana

Sending My sincere condolences to Lebala family
Adv Simmy U left a piece of urself with everyone you encountered with
The time has come for u to rest
May your Humble Gentle Soul Rest in Eternal Peace my hearts Best friend
May the angels carry you and God's Perpetual Light Shine upon you
#Love&Light #SML #LB

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Nwabisa Mveke

Asnath Moloantoa

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Asnath Moloantoa

May God grant you the spirit of understanding during this time of grieve. May the Holy Spirit continue to soothe your wounds and help you to see God's love and mercy. Be strong in the word and never stop loving ing Him. Our brother will be missed but his works will never be forgotten. Know that God loves you now and He is with you now more than anything time of your life.
Homotsehang
Asnath Christ Embassy Pretoria West

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Siyabonga Mahlangu

May you have safe passage as you transition to your new world. It is difficult to accept that you now belong... Read more May you have safe passage as you transition to your new world. It is difficult to accept that you now belong to the ages. May you have safe passage as you transition to your... Read more

Irene Mathatho

My condolences to Lebala family❤Thank you Adv for your leadership at Companies Tribunal, though with some challenges at the beginning, you led us to excellency and that is the legacy you left behind.You encouraged us, motivated us, your kindness, humility.... we are forever grateful.Rest in peace Adv Simmy Lebala, SC💐

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Sibongile Bango

May your soul rest in peace Advocate Simmy Lebala.

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Peter Mbolekwa

The most Friendliest, Compassionate and good Soul I had the privilege and honour to know.
After all that has been written about Adv. Simmy Maropeng Lebala SC, in the messages of support, after all that has been spoken about him on social media platforms, the compliments, the accolades, the great tributes that have been given to him throughout since the news of his passing on, I pause to think and honestly feel that the orators at the late His excellency Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela’s ( Madiba’s) funeral had it easier than we as friends do at this instance on the occasion of Son of Lebala’s memorial service.
We as you know have very many traditions. You, who know us, know that some are odd, some are good. I don't know what category this one fills.
One of our traditions is that we’re expected to mourn and celebrate the life of a friend, family member and or loved ones. "On the Occasion of their Death." Notice, I didn’t say, in case they die. We all know that it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. Where we wish our funeral to be celebrated, what readings we would like, what music we would like and where we would like to be buried.
For one thing, as we all know, Simmy Lebala knew a whole lot of people. He seemed to know everybody and if he didn’t, then they knew him and or of him for sure. Certainly he had friends that were more intellectual than me, certainly more holy than me, people more well- known than me. Last night I sat with that thought, and ask myself why me ... and I came down to the conclusion that I was simply and solely his friend ... and I’m honoured to have been that.
I always tell my friends and all who care to listen, that through life, you’re lucky if you have four or five people whom you can truly call your friends. Those you can share any thoughts you have, enjoy their company, be parted and separated, come back together again and pick up right where you left off. They’ll forgive your faults and affirm your virtues. Simmy Maropeng Lebala was one of those special people for me, and I believe and hope I was for him.
We as a nation have been through a terrible five months and it doesn’t look like it’s ending, albeit the move to Lockdown level 2 and opening of the economy. I refer to this year 2020 a dark year in the history of humanity, a terrible affront to human dignity. In our collective emotions, in our collective consciousness, we all went through the same thing on day the Lockdown was announced. I went through the same when I received the sad news that Son of Lebala (morwa Lebala) has passed on.

Three year ago as I was preparing to leave my office at around 18:00, I received a text messaged from Simmy which read” PMM my friend I’ve been admitted at Louis Pasteur Hospital in Pretoria and I will going under the knife tomorrow. I immediately dropped everything and rushed to the hospital. I remember on my way there I called our friend Dr. Steve Komati to ask if I’ll be allowed to see Simmy that evening before he went under the knife the following day. I was relieved when he indicated that it shouldn’t be a challenge as he was in private medical ward. I got there in time and spent a valuable hour with my friend, my brother, my “commissar”. It was on that day that Simmy gave me the low down of his ailment.
At that moment, my already strained emotions did spiritually what the terrible Tsunami had physically done to Thailand just hours before lives and property were destroyed lost. I felt my whole spirit crumble to the ground and turn into a pile of rubble at the bottom of my heart. I sat down on the hospital chair, with my hands covering my face with tears slowly rolling down my chicks. I excused myself went and went to the bathroom. I for literally cried for a solid 15 minutes in there. When I returned to his ward, his response was “PMM my friend I understand and I value appreciate your coming through at short notice.” It was on this occasion that he opened up and shared with me his medical history with the column cancer. He informed that it was genetic, his father late Mr Labala senior succumbed to column cancer when Simmy was at a tender age 9 years.
Later on at home, a very beautiful being whom I had the privilege to be with, on noticing my sadness, gently slipped a piece of paper in front of me and whispered, "This was written thousands of years ago in the midst of a national tragedy. It’s a quote from the Book of Lamentations. "The favours of the Lord are not exhausted. His mercies are not spent. Every morning, they are renewed. Great is his faithfulness. I will always trust in him."
I read that quote and pondered. I thought of other passages in the Gospel that said evil will not triumph, that in the darkest hour when Jesus lay dying on the cross, that suffering led to the resurrection.
I read and thought that light is better than darkness, hope better than despair. In thinking of my faith and the faith of Simmy Maropeng Lebala, Son of Lebala, setlogolo sa Bakwena and all he taught me and from the scripture, I began to lift up my head and once again see the stars.
Today I have gathered the courage to pen this tribute and celebrate Simmy’s life. For it is his life that speaks, not his death. It is his courage that he showed every day that speaks, not my fear. It is his hope and belief in the goodness of all people that speaks, not my despair.
I am here to talk about my friend. So much has been said about him, I’m sure you know his history. He was a Pretoria born squire, and specifically Pheli through and through.

I watched how he dealt with people. He really was a people person. His heart was open. His ears were open and especially as he listened to people with problems. When he related to a person, they felt like he was their best friend. When he was talking with you, you were the only person on the face of the earth. He loved people and that showed and that made all the difference. You can serve people but unless you love them, it’s not really genuine..
I think is very apt to say Simmy Maropeng Lebala had a bent for compassion. The other thing about Simmy Lebala is that he loved to be where the action was. He loved to be where there was a crisis, so he could insert God in what was going on. That was his way of doing things.
Another aspect, a lesson that I learned from him, his way of life, is his simplicity. He lived simply. He just loved good clothes and many he had. They were always pressed, of course, and clean, he had a special collection of shoes for Africa.
He would say to me once in a while, "PMM my friend” ––as he always called me by my initials –– "Son of Mbolekwa, you know what I want?" And I would get excited because it was hard to buy him a present because he had a unique taste and style.
I said, "No, what?"
"You know what I really want?" "No, what Commissar?"
"Absolutely nothing. I don’t want a thing in the world. I am the happiest man on the face of the earth." and then he would go on for ten minutes, telling me how blessed he felt. "I have mother, I have my son Loatile, I have beautiful sisters, I have nieces and nephews. I have my health for now. I love my work. Most importantly I love my Mother." He would go on, and always conclude by looking up to heavens and saying, "Why am I so blessed? I don’t deserve it. Why am I so blessed?" But that’s how he felt all his life.
To all his friends, I just want to let you know, and I think he’d want me to let you know how much you meant to him, that is if he didn’t let know while he still alive. You made his life happy, you made him the kind of person that he was for all of us.
It reminds me of that very well-known Picasso sketch of two hands holding a bouquet of flowers. You know the one I mean –– there’s a small bouquet, it’s colourful and a hand coming from the left side and a hand coming from the right side, both are holding the bouquet. The artist was clever enough to draw the hands in the exact same angle. You don’t know who’s receiving and who is giving. It was the same way with my friend Simmy Maropeng Lebala.
I make this statement to you this afternoon that SImmy Maropeng Lebala has always been my friend and now on his passing on, he is also my hero.
He passed through to the other side of life, so that he can continue doing what he wanted to do with all his heart. In the next few weeks, we’re going to have names added, name after name of people, who have succumbed to COVID-19 some of them will be our friends, some

our family members and Simmy is going to be on the other side of death to greet them with his big bespoke beautiful warm unique Simmy smile. He’s going to take them by the arm and the hand and say, "Welcome, I want to take you to my Father." He’ll continue doing in death what he couldn’t do in life.
Today we are laying to rest our friend’s mortal remains but not his spirit. We will be putting at rest his mind but not his dreams. We will bury his voice but not his message. We will bury his hands but not his good works. We will bury his biological heart but not it’s warmth and never his love.
We his friends, family and those who loved him should return the favour that he so often did to us and treasure the memories.
So, may please request that wherever you are to raise your right hand and extend it towards his spirit and say, Simmy Maropeng Lebala, may the Lord bless you. May the angels lead you to your Saviour. You are a sign of his presence to us. May God now embrace you and hold you in his love forever. Rest in Eternal peace and power. Namaste.

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Molefi Moloantoa

Caroline Kongwa

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Caroline Kongwa

Simmy, your memory will live on in all of us whose lives you impacted and with your insightful conversations indeed your memory lives on because how can one ever forget the lessons you imparted.

With grace and humility you were able to empower me, you had your way of getting me to question the "why" in what I was doing. Reminded me several times not to forget to always answer why I succeeded or achieved my goals. I remember you saying to me that answering or considering yourself successful is not enough. You must always know why. Identify the greatness in yourself. The lesson was to understand that God predestined us be who God planned us to be and to embrace that and not to loose sight of the journey.

You constantly reminded me the importance to live life to the fullest and not be swayed by challenges which could be overcome.

Rest in peace! Until we meet again! My utmost felt condolences to the Lebala family and I pray that God's grace cover you and remains a source of comfort. Simmy will be greatly missed.

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Zodwa Ntuli

It has been difficult to jot something down throughout this week, for a moment, it still as if you will just appear and say "ZN, my dear Sister, how are you, how is your mother...your sister...your other sister...and the rest of the family...and the clan...?"

Yes, and I had to remind you on 18 July, which was the last lengthy conversation we had, that you should not be asking about me and my family for now as you are the one in hospital, and we want to know how you are doing, we are worried about you. As usual, you said, "ZN, I will be up and about soon, the pain is not that bad."

...and you then jump again back to "ZN, how is work, how is your team doing, you know you have a great team neh...your guys know their story, They are so passionate." Again, about others, not about yourself Simmy, and the team sure did get the feedback on what you said about them. It always meant a lot more coming from your greatness.

Using your words, your ability to relate so easily to people, to touch the heart of each person you meet and to make each person feel like they can conquer the world any time "amazed me".

You made every person you encountered to feel special in their own unique way. You praised us, you motivated us, you inspired us, of course you confused us at times with your big fancy words and phrases But then that is what made every conversation with you so memoriable and engraved in one's brain forever.

Integrity was paramount to you, you reiterated section 195 of the Constitution in my brain, like it was a verse in the bible, I remember you saying, "ZN, you can't go wrong if you follow section 195, that is the fundamental clause that is the cornerstone for civil servants. It is prescriptive and unambiguous, no one can fault you if you follow it. "

When you became the first Chairperson of the Companies Tribunal, you served with so much commitment and high ethical and moral standards that you preached, and even when there were serious challenges, you kept saying "You see ZN, we can't give people a reason that it cannot be done, this is service, I will serve, and if I have to work at night or weekends to advance this, I will do exactly that."

I can write a book about you Counsel, I was still hoping to get your guidance and leadership, on many things, you remain an inspiration. I will still continue conversing with you, anyway, till we meet again...

To your family, your mom and your boy, Oatile, my deepest condolences, I trust that God will comfort you. And Themba, to Simmy, you were some sort of superman, for anything, "ZN, call Themba, he will do it, he will drop it by your house." Mostly I did not call you, but yeah, whatever it is, your name would come up.

That is why when two weeks passed with Simmy's phone taking me to voice mail, on 14 August I checked with you superman as I was worried about him. He had said to me after being discharged sometime ago "Themba is with me at the house, all the time, call him when my phone is off." Your uncle was a giant.

So long Counsel, so long, missing your wisdom already, rest well!

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