Lourensia Ketji, the Pearl of Grootfontein, dies

The pearl of Grootfontein, Roroo, a beautiful lady who wore a broad smile and whose life had symbolised much of the town’s charm, beauty and hospitality, died at the town of her life on the 12^th May 2022.

She was 55.

She is survived by son Desmond Mapeseuani and daughter Eerike Rejoice, both Ketji; and six grandchildren as well as siblings Harry  Mbapeua Ketji, Kahepa Kapenaze, Betty Ketji, Kaperesende Ketji, Kapena Tjiho and Vanaune Ketji.

Simon, Edward and Dau Ketji predeceased her.

Throughout her life, Roroo only left Grootfontein regularly to complete her secondary education (Matriek) at Ella du Plessis Secondary School in Windhoek.

She was a person firmly planted in Grootfonteiner, who was born and grew up, lived and died at the town.  She embodied and radiated the small-town values that symbolise Grootfontein.  Like most of the town’s people, she was friendly, welcoming and deeply immersed in the melting pot of languages and cultures that epitomise the town.

Roroo was fluent in the dialect of the town and in her home language, Otjiherero, and Afrikaans. People here consider a person who does not speak Afrikaans an uninitiated resident or a visitor. As an Omuherero, she was steeped in her culture and led her life by the values father Oscar Kandungura Kazonganga and mother Cornelia Kapuu Ketji bestowed her.

From Aunt Windeline Ruhumba, who brought up Roroo, Dau and Kapena Tjiho at Okatumuama village, they all learned civility, discipline and sincerity. The three daughters, each with her own mannerism, all met in their work ethic.

Her eldest sister, Kahepa, had an apt observation of Roroo’s two unique qualities. She described her younger sister as the one among them who never rushed her walk and always reached her destination.

Below are the surviving siblings in the order they were born:

“Even when pushed to anger,  you would only hear disapproval in the hissing  sound she will make in her nostrils. She was never one to be drawn into an exchange of words,” Kahepa observes of her younger sister.

Eye wa ri Omukwenambura omunaa Kwendata wondjuwo onene. Aa yana Ovakweyuva vOmuzi, ombu ku za ovandu mbe hari  na Ngai na Hepo. Oona ya Kovimbara vya Nanda oviwa oviwarakata mbyaavi tungwa nomakuya ozondungo aza takavara pehi povingumba.

She was born on the 12^th April 1967 and baptised at Grootfontein’s Evangelica Lutheran Church in 1968 with Erika Dandu as godmother.

Siblings you pre-deceased Roroo: