Praises for Dr Lamson Maluleke
From rags to doctorate
Dr Gezani Lamson Maluleke has been praised by various speakers for having turned his situation around from a poor kid to doctorate.
Maluleke has received his doctorate in sociology from the University of Stellenbosch and this feat was celebrated at the Maluleke sports ground.
His thesis was “Rethinking protected area co-management in the Makuleke region, South Africa.”
The thesis dealt with conservation policies that underpin the protected area co-management arrangements between the Kruger National Park and the Makuleke community in the northern section of the park, according to a statement from his professor motivating for the awarding of the degree.
It is a story of his home village. He was part of the people who worked for the Makuleke community to reclaim their land from the Kruger National Park after they were unceremoniously moved by the apartheid government to park way for the park.
Although they have not moved back to the ancestral land, they are jointly running it with the park.
“I made a declaration to the university that this is so,” he said.
ANC NEC member Joe Maswanganyi who is the former transport minister told thousands that Maluleke was a hard worker and assisted other people.
“When I got my second Masters degree he is the one who assisted me. And I am coming to his event as a way of paying back,” said Maswanganyi.
He told the gathering that there is no clash between Maluleke’s roles as a politician and as a pastor.
“As a politician one needs God. Sometimes people will concoct stories and you will at times be accused of having stolen money and you will need divine intervention. The courts will clear you because wrong accusations will not stick,” said
Maswanganyi who is a supporter of former president Jacob Zuma.
He added: “When the ANC was formed some of the leaders were from the church and one of the former presidents Zaccheus Richard Mahabane was an ordained pastor.”
Hosi Joas Makuleke praised Maluleke for achieving the doctorate.
“Some of us were from good backgrounds and were living well when he and his fellow siblings grew up in poverty. But now it is the opposite they are all educated and we envy them,” said the chief.
Maluleke said many people assisted him to get where he is.
“It was a typically poor background and many people have had a hand to my success,” he said.
