The COVID19 pandemic death wave has smash and grabbed again. It broke into the home of Dr John Tibane and robbed his family of a father they knew God the almighty through. It removed from our earth a brain whose reach has gone beyond what his voice could reach.

John Tibane was a medical doctor. I knew him when he practised at C4 in Mamelodi West. He was a post natal doctor of my eldest daughter. He shared with me the intimate intricacies of baby girls between the zero to 6 months. It was during those intimate discussions that I got to know John Tibane the teacher, the philosopher, the motivator and yet a healer of souls and bodies. 

Born in Bushbuckridge he inhaled the warrior air with citizens of South Africa at its 10 province, the province of Animals the Kruger National Park. Graduated at Medunsa the Mecca of baNtu medical doctors and by far the single most institution in South Africa that produces baNtu medical minds and practitioners. He became bigger than his surgery, he adopted new syringes to heal humanity where it matters, the mind.

If living once was a person, it must have been John Tibane. He has spoken into our minds and posterity like many before him have. He wrote pages and said or asked “Advance Your Life”, “The Reset Blueprint”, “Do It Because You Can”, “Enlightened Leadership”, “Be Inspired or Get Expired”, “Turbo Think”, “Manifest Your Magic”, and “Master Your Thoughts, Transform Your Life”. Through these titles he has changed minds and will redirect more that allow him by buying his books.

As a society we have lost a strategic planner, a scenario analyst, a visionary and a knitter of teams in disarray. His piercing smile and forthrightness gained him respect of the ethical and scorn of the chronically malfeasant. He understood the relationship between hard-work, effort and reward. 

We lost many book titles and a in-text legacy that could still be added on an otherwise illustrious literary heritage. Teams in companies lost a team building facilitator, young and upcoming leaders lost a life coach, and families lost a towering model of true fatherhood.

His passing has once again demonstrated that COVID19 is a reality we should all have respect for. The pandemic is a class blind reality. The pandemic takes all and affects all. In honour of Dr John Tibane, let us wear our masks, sanitise, keep the social distance, and most importantly vaccinate. As a society let us find in ourselves a monument to erect in his honour.

To his wife, his sons, his friends, clients and mentees, your loss is our loss. May his Soul rest in peace. Chibi!!