According to the Free State Publishers and Editors’ Forum, Molebatsi passed away on 6 December 2021 after a sudden illness. Further details around his death remain unknown at this stage. The Bloemfontein native worked at several publications during his communication and journalism career, including Mangaung Issue, The Weekly, and later the Free State Health Department, amongst others. The Chairperson of the forum, Lebona Lekoenea, tells OFM News they are on their way to visit Molebatsi’s family and pay their respects.

The organisation has extended its condolences to Molebatsi’s loved ones and shared that he passed on at a time when the forum is still fighting to have community publications in the province recognised. “We hope that his spirit will continue to live amongst his family, friends, and all of us who worked with him,” says the forum. More messages of condolences are still streaming in on social media from those who knew him in the media fraternity, as well as those who knew him socially. Pee-kay Lenyora Nkeeane says Molebatsi “always put a smile on his face”, a statement that sums up the gist of how people viewed the deceased journalist.

OFM News