Football mourns ‘humble’ Ramoraka
Chakalisa Dube - Mqondisi Dube | Saturday October 8, 2022 06:00
Until he was appointed national team coach recently, Mpote worked with Ramoraka at the Ostriches. Ramoraka died in a road mishap near Mmashoro on his way to Orapa.
At the time of his death, the player was still part of the national team setup. He also worked with Mpote at the Zebras. Mpote described the 28-year-old as a very disciplined player.
“One thing I will always remember about Ramoraka is his high level of discipline. He led a clean life. He was a cut above the rest of the team. I am still in shock.
I feel broken,” Mpote told Mmegi Sport. The Zebras mentor also said what made Ramoraka stand out was his love for church. “He was a staunch ZCC member.
He hardly missed church when we were not playing or during his spare time. He was also the voice of reason in the team. I often relied on him to guide the young players in the team.
He was always quick to offer advice to youngsters. I loved the boy.” Mpote said what saddens him the most is that Ramoraka died at a time when he had fully recovered from his knee injury.
The Ostriches signed Ramoraka after he left TS Galaxy in South Africa (SA) in February last year. At the time the player had a problem with his knee, but United took him through a rehabilitation programme. Ramoraka was signed by Highlands Park in South Africa from Orapa. TS Galaxy would later buy the South African outfit.
“He has been playing all along, but he was not fully fit. He went for his last checkup in SA after completing his assignment at the recent AFCON qualifiers. Doctors declared him fully fit. When he returned from SA, he made a promise to work hard to repay the club for signing him at a time when he was injured. Unfortunately, he will never fulfill that desire.” On Wednesday, Orapa United captain, Thabang Mosige said he is still struggling to come to terms with the player’s death.
“The whole team is devastated. We have not been training since the announcement that Lee has died. We have been assembling at the stadium to console each other.” Mosige is the only surviving member of the Ostriches team that gained promotion to the elite league over 10 years ago. He remembers how a then fresh-faced Ramoraka earned his first contract at the club. “Lee was signed after impressing Maxwell Moyo during trials. That was in the 2014–2015 season. He was not attached to any club.
His playing experience was just limited to social football in his home village. The fact that he made it to the elite league despite not going through development or regional structures like many, says a lot about his resilience and character. He has had a big impact in all his stints at the club.” Ramoraka arrived at the Ostriches as a winger before Mandida Ndlovu converted him into a left-back. Tumi Gabonamong, wife to Zebras legend, Mogogi, is saddened by Lee's death. Gabonamong was influential in Ramoraka's transfer from Orapa United to Highlands Park, the player's first big break abroad. 'It still doesn't make sense. It is tragic that Lee had to pass on this way.
I was talking to him last week and he wanted to speak to me a couple of times. The biggest lesson is that we must make time for people,' Gabomanong said. She said the player's break came after the 2018 COSAFA Cup where she was monitoring talented Botswana players. 'Larry Brockstone (Highlands Park owner) and Owen Da Gama (Highlands Park coach) were also in attendance and had noticed him. I didn't have Lee's contacts so I asked around. I then facilitated his move to Highlands Park,' she said.
'What I picked about Lee is that he was not arrogant but difficult. He wanted to do things differently. I remember when he came with his father on the day he signed. Owen (Da Gama) wanted him to train but Lee had a different view as he was tired from driving.
I told him things were done differently in South Africa. He trained and we later took him to the club apartments. Later, we assisted him to look for a house, and helped him settle,' Gabonamong said. She said Lee liked his family and wanted to travel to Botswana at any available time. Gabonamong recalls that it was Peter Shalulile, now playing for Mamelodi Sundowns, who gave Lee keys to his apartment when he signed for Highlands Park.