The two, who were described as national assets, met their demise last Monday when their Mercedes Benz sedan collided with a truck by Rasesa. Thandiwe’s little sister, Bongi Kegapilwe, is currently hospitalised following the accident. The bodies of the two arrived in church on Thursday evening just after a memorial service held in their honour by The Living Fountain Christian Ministries. They would later spend a night at a house Omphemetse had finished building with her husband but had not moved into yet. Another memorial service had been held a day earlier by Botswana Teachers Union at Gaborone Secondary School where Omphemetse was a revered English teacher. In the wee hours of Saturday morning, dozens flocked to the home for the viewing of the deceased.
The funeral service would then be held at The Living Fountain Christian Ministries premises in Block 10, Gaborone. With her passion for grooming, which stemmed from being an elder sister, drew her towards a career in teaching. Hence she enrolled with the University of Botswana in 2001, attaining a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities and a Postgraduate Diploma in 2002. After completing her studies, she practised as a teacher transforming the lives of many children across different schools from Ranokanyane JSS, Matshekge SSS, and Good Hope SSS.
She completed her service at Gaborone Senior Secondary School as an English and English Literature Teacher. As per various speakers, her love for children allowed her to champion and passionately serve in different school clubs and committees such as Scout, Disciplinary, Prefects, and Placement Committee. She was the first female Chief Commissioner of the Botswana Scout Association and GSAT Consultant. Through this movement, she travelled to different destinations including Tanzania, Ghana, Switzerland and others. She gave her life to Christ and was ordained Pastor at Living Fountain Christian Ministries on December 5, 2021. She was described as a great preacher, a worshipper of note, and a God-loving person who served her church and community with humility, kindness and an ever-smiling face. Thandiwe is the first of three daughters between Omphemetse and her husband Zibani Kegapilwe. She enrolled with the Botswana Accountancy College (2015) and pursued a Bachelor of Finance in Banking. At the time of her passing, she was pursuing her Honours degree.
Her journey with cricket began about 17 years ago during her primary school days. Since then, the sport has been more than just a game to her. From representing the National U13 and U19 teams to eventually earning her spot in the senior ladies' National team, cricket had been a constant thread in her journey. She was part of the first group of women affectionately known as the "Ancestors," a title earned for their unwavering dedication and years of commitment to forming the National Women's team. One of the highlights of her career was breaking barriers by becoming one of the first females to play in the men's league, specifically with Team Tshukudu. It was her exceptional bowling style that paved the way, earning her the nickname 'Weird Balls' for her unique delivery techniques. Alongside her mother, Thandi passionately served in the church interceding, praising, and worshipping. She leaves behind her father and two sisters.
