Remarks by Ambassador Malefane at the Memorial Service of Ms Valencia Motaunyana in Turkey, Istanbul 8 June 2017

In this sad hour, let me start by extending respectful greetings to the management BAU, the South African students in Turkey, and the representatives from the Office of the Premier of the Free State Province. We from the South African Embassy, the Government of Free State and the entire South African nation deep our banner in conveying our deepest sympathies to the family of Motaunyana, relatives and friends.

The essence of my short remarks this afternoon rests on a quotation from the holy Bible, Romans 14: verse 8. It says ‘if we live, we live for the Lord and if we should die, we die for the Lord. Therefore even in death we still belong to the Lord’. Valencia Motaunyana was a beautiful young woman in the making, extremely respectful, committed to education and life, adventurous and most of all a source of significant hope and emancipation for her family.

She was a source of hope for a family that is currently devastated, sad, unsure yet alive to the fact that God’s will is beyond the comprehension of mere mortals. She was the epitome of UBUNTU and a livewire among her peers.

A girl from a semi-rural South African town showed exceptional courage to leave her familiar surroundings of limited means and come to Turkey to build on a foundation of education and progress. This was through the grace of God, correctly indicating that she was true to the saying ‘when we live, we live for the Lord'.
The devilish shadow of ill health attacked this young and innocent soul in a manner that is difficult to explain.

This is because those next to her could not figure out the seriousness of the illness as it attacked under the cover of night, I say under the cover of night because the illness presented itself like a common cold and not like a serious one worthy of special attention.

Under the circumstances the South African Embassy in Ankara, Turkey in collaboration with other important stakeholders tried to rescue the situation but it was not meant to be. We have to accept that God wanted to emphasize the lesson that He was still in control, and as we always say the Lord’s Prayer, let us say it in faith and belief that Let thy will be done.

I remain confident in my resolve that she was a special child and I am equally a true believer in the notion that says’ the reason for death is birth.

We also believe that she is now the newest resident in the house of the Lord. The scriptures tell us that ‘in my father’s house there are many rooms’.

I believe that she is in one of those available special rooms because she was a special child, a God fearing child, a child of purpose and a child of peace.
We told that on her last day she looked more beautiful yet exhausted, exhausted not because she did not want to live anymore but exhausted because she longed for the comfort of the Lord our creator and redeemer.

As brilliant as she was, she was actually and adequately responding to the Lords call that says ‘come to me all those who are exhausted and I will give you comfort'.

As painful as it may be let me conclude by quoting an unknown Chinese Philosopher ‘death is a necessary end and it will come when it is necessary. We are in no position to dictate to the Lord when it should come, for he knows best’.

Even in death we still belong to the Lord. Let us rejoice in the Lord for allowing us to know her and drink from her well of wisdom, and also celebrate the time she spent with us. Let us accept the universal law of nature, that everything in life is impermanent.

Fare thee well our Sister,friend,Compatriot!
Ke Mohlakoana,ke motho wa ha Pholo ya Disema,
Maila Ngwathela ele ha ke tla ja hwa thehwa meriti e menyane ya Diotlwana,
Ha ke je sengwathana sa maobane ke ja Polokwe kaofela.
Ke Napo,
Ke Ngwana Nkokoto Hlahana Thoto e eme Ramahamisa,
Ke Motebang,Ke Mosito

Robala ka Kgotso Mokoena!

Thank you.