The passing of Chief Mpumalanga “Gwebingqele” Gwadiso of the AmaKhonjwayo nation — my clan — has left a void that words cannot fill. He was a gentle giant. A quiet, dignified man whose presence commanded respect without ever demanding it.
Gwadiso was a brother to the head of all AmaKhonjwayo in the land, chief Dumisani “Vulisango” Gwadiso, former ambassador to the Ivory Coast. The two were like twins in spirit — bound by deep mutual respect and a shared love for their people.
He loved his nation deeply. His life was defined by service.
A man driven by development, chief Gwebingqele championed progress for many years.
He began his career at the then University of Transkei, where he worked with humility and purpose before moving to Gauteng to join the corporate sector.
But corporate success never dulled his sense of duty.
When he returned to the province, he answered a higher calling. He took up the responsibility to look after the people of his forefathers.
To be a chief is not a title. It is a calling. It requires love for your people, patience, and unwavering commitment.
Chief Gwebingqele understood this sacred duty. He knew that leadership was bestowed by the Almighty for kings and chiefs to look after community needs.
The AmaKhonjwayo nation remains one of those still grappling with underdevelopment.
Many elderly men return from the mines with little to show for a lifetime of labor — just a small pension and worn bodies. It was this reality that shaped Chief Gwebingqele’s work.
Like his father, the late Chief Gobizithwana, he spent most of his life lobbying for the betterment of his people.
He encouraged the youth to educate themselves, to break cycles of poverty and hardship.
“Do not recycle the suffering of our families,” he would say.
Education, to him, was the only lasting inheritance.
In 2022, he took on a mammoth task when he was elected to the provincial position of chair of the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders and the Khoisan.
I had no doubt of his capabilities. He had the temperament to unite, the wisdom to guide, and the vision to develop traditional institutions in this province.
He was soft-spoken but firm. Easy to approach, but unwavering on matters of principle.
Even though death is part of life, it is always difficult to accept the departure of those we dearly love. I did not expect his sudden passing, and it will be a long time before I accept the reality that he is gone.
My heart goes out to his children, the entire Gwadiso family, and especially to his brother, Chief “Vulisango”. May you be comforted by the legacy he leaves behind.
Chief Gwebingqele leaves us at a painful time, when we are still searching for lasting solutions to the unnecessary deaths of young boys due to botched circumcisions, and to stubbornness in communities that disregard the regulations of this age-old custom practised by many tribes in our province and across the country.
His voice on these matters will be deeply missed.
Hamba kahle Khiwa. Qwebeda. Gogolenyathi. Makhanda. Nomakhalendlovu. Ndhanya. Chithwayo,Khonjwayo!!
Your nation will honour your name.
Sizwe Kupelo is from the AmaKhonjwayo nation in Mafini
Daily Dispatch
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