Man's dream of owning a shack cut short

JUST A DREAM: Lincoln Moloko in Rhythm City, where he was erecting his shanty about two weeks ago. He died on the weekend. Picture: Soraya Crowie/African News Agency (ANA)

JUST A DREAM: Lincoln Moloko in Rhythm City, where he was erecting his shanty about two weeks ago. He died on the weekend. Picture: Soraya Crowie/African News Agency (ANA)

Published May 29, 2019

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Kimberley - A Kimberley man’s dream of owning his own shack will never be realised after he died during a funeral service in Phutanang on the weekend.

Earlier this month, Lincoln Moloko, 46, was one of the first people to start putting up a shack on the vacant piece of land behind St Boniface High School, which residents have dubbed Rhythm City, as part of a land invasion.

Last week, Moloko told the DFA that he came from a one-room shack structure that he shared with a number of people and that there was never any privacy, adding that he was “very grateful” for the piece of land where he could now erect his own shack.

Shortly thereafter, Northern Cape High Court Judge Cecile Williams granted an interim interdict, with immediate effect, to the Kimberley Lions Club, pending the finalisation of the application, prohibiting the respondents (the unidentified persons attempting to take unlawful occupation) from invading, occupying or erecting structures on the property.

They were also interdicted and prohibited from trespassing on the property, as well as from taking occupation of it.

Moloko was one of the people who indicated that he would not move and that he had “waited his entire life to own his own shack”.

However, only days later, on Saturday, Moloko died while attending his sister-in-law’s funeral.

Moloko’s brother, Godfrey Moloko, said on Tuesday that Moloko had attended his wife’s funeral on Saturday when he suddenly collapsed and died.

“My wife’s body was brought to the house as part of the funeral and Lincoln collapsed after seeing the body. He died on the scene but the cause of his death is still unclear,” Godfrey said.

He added that his brother’s death had come as a huge shock and he described him as a “hero” with regards to standing up for what he wanted, namely a shack of his own.

Godfrey said he would be remembered as a humble man who people could look up to.

Rhythm City committee member Kagisho Aries said on Tuesday that the community was saddened by the death of one of the “founding members” of Rhythm City.

“We are saddened not only by his passing but also by the fact that he never realised his dream of owning his own shack. He was a brave man who believed in following his dream. He stood strong, even when there was a court order to stop the erection of shacks on the land, he vowed to never move,” Aries said.

By Tuesday only one shack was still present on the Rhythm City land.

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