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Dignitaries bid farewell to teacher

MOURNING: Doreen and Dorothy Manyike at their father's funeral on Sunday. Pic. Andrew Hlongwane. 25/09/07. © Sowetan.
MOURNING: Doreen and Dorothy Manyike at their father's funeral on Sunday. Pic. Andrew Hlongwane. 25/09/07. © Sowetan.

Riot Hlatshwayo

Riot Hlatshwayo

David Collen Manyike, 55, a well-known Mpumalanga teacher who died after a long illness, was buried at Thulamahashe, near Bushbuckridge, on Sunday.

Manyike had been a teacher at several schools, including Mafemani High, Nghunghunyane High, Cetshwayo Primary and Hlanganani Primary.

Manyike had during his career produced countless intellectuals.

Dignitaries who attended the funeral included Professor Donald Mahlangu, Signet Ngobeni, the award winner of the best maths and science teacher in South Africa, as well as Louis Hlatshwayo, Manyike's former colleague and longtime friend.

Orhovelani High School principal Joseph Mthethwa told mourners that Manyike was one of the best teachers the province ever had.

"Manyike was unique and really knew his job. He taught our children the Xitsonga language in an exceptional way that resulted in distinctions," said Mthethwa.

Ngobeni, a former director of education in Limpopo, echoed Mthethwa's sentiments.

"He was my boy and I say this because I taught him.

"This was a man of integrity and will be sadly missed by all of us," said Ngobeni.

Manyike is survived by his wife Ntombincane, four children, two grandchildren, three brothers and four sisters.

Manyike specialised in Xitsonga literature and many of his students had given him names of characters from some of the books he taught.

He was nicknamed Hodova, a funny character in the book Xisomisana by Felix Tshuketana.

The difference with Hodova the character was that Manyike was very handsome while Hodova was the ugliest man imaginable.

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