05 Apr 2021

Raymond ‘Bramani’ Gaobakwe, a seasoned actor of Makgabaneng and Mareledi serial dramas was laid to rest on Sunday at Phomolong Cemetery.

Bramani succumbed to death at Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital on March 29 due to COVID-19 complications.

Different speakers took turns to eulogise Bramani’s life, describing him as a person who lived his life fully.

They said he  left them with memories they would forever hold in their hearts. He was also defined as a humble family man who believed in peace and laughter.

The director of Makgabaneng, Tony Buru said he first met Bramani at the auditions for the programme and that he had been part of the acting crew since 2001 until his last day.

He said Bramani always executed his duties professionally, adding that he was also a straight talker who never hesitated to voice issues that concerned all Makgabaneng actors.

Buru said Bramani was keen and proactive and also had an eloquent voice that captivated listeners on radio.

“He had a command of all the roles he played both on radio and TV,” said Buru, adding that he always encouraged respect and had a sense of humour that made it easy for him to relate well with both the young and the old. This, he said, drew all Makgabaneng actors close to him.

 “We perceived Bramani as our uncle who we consulted for any advice for Makgabaneng roles or for our personal issues,” noted Buru.

He further said Bramani offered them a lot in relation to acting and that he was one of the actors that listeners preferred which enabled Makgabaneng to quickly penetrate the hearts of many listeners. He also said he imparted his acting tactics among the young and upcoming actors.

A representative from Botswana Film Industry, Sidney Kapenda also described Bramani as an inspiration who many were looking up to.He said Bramani managed to break perceptions that some duties best suited certain groups, gender or age.

 “When he ventured into acting I believe many were skeptical because it was during that era when such activities were believed to be suitable for youngsters, but he demonstrated that no barriers should stop any individual from attaining their dreams,” he said.

One of his friends, former chairperson of Business Botswana, Lekwalo Mosienyane said  Bramani was passionate about real estate investment.

He reminisced how they travelled to different places with ideas to develop their pieces of land or giving advise to individuals on how they could use their land for self benefit.

He also described Bramani as a sociable individual who wanted to keep learning and believed that one was never to old to learn.

Veronica Digwaamaje described her brother as the pillar of the family who donned the hat of father figure and uncle, saying he connected well with all family members, both young and the old.

She said Bramani believed in a united family, saying although he was always engaged on acting, he never failed to spend quality time with his family.

“Bramani was a jolly person who believed that family differences should never be left unresolved. This made the family to always appreciate each other and stick together,” she said.

Bramani joined Makgabaneng in 2001 as Rra Meshack and was nicknamed Bramani. When the drama was televised in 2011 as Mareledi, he became part of the crew still playing the role of Rra Meshack.

Makgabaneng is a non-governmental behaviour change organisation formed to impart, teach and use different media platforms and community outreach programmes to encourage behavioural change. ENDS