Rustenburg - South Africa is in need of serious moral regeneration, North West premier Job Mokgoro said on Saturday.
Delivering the eulogy at the civic funeral of rapper Hip Hop Pantsula, HHP, in Mahikeng in the North West, Mokgoro referred to the murder of a teacher in Dinokana at Zeerust, who was stabbed to death by a school pupil, and also referred to the rape of a young girl in a restaurant toilet in Pretoria.
"We are a society that has all but lost its moral compass. Recently we laid to rest a teacher who was stabbed by a learner at a school. After stabbing him the learner left the knife in his body and left. We are reading of rampant corruption in the media. We are learning of reports about a seven-year-old [child] raped in a restaurant restroom. We are in serious need of moral regeneration," he said.
Through his music, HHP had reminded South Africans where they came from. Mokgoro had mourners on their feet at the funeral when he voiced lyrics from the star rapper's songs. He said that through his song, Harambe, HHP had appreciated the freedom South Africans enjoyed today.
HHP, born Jabulani Tsambo, died on October 24 at his Johannesburg home at the age of 38.
Mokgoro said Jabba, as HHP was known, loved his hometown of Mahikeng and carried it in his heart wherever he went in the world.
The motswako pioneer has been afforded a civic funeral and will be buried at "Hero's Acre" in the Mmabatho cemetery.