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Thabo Mothibi, Managing Editor, thabo@ncnn.live
For those who prefer a good time infused with music, big screen sports viewing and socialising; Oupa’s Tavern in Galeshewe has always been a glittering joint and magnet. NCNN.LIVE paid a visit….
From having taken off as a shebeen in the late 80s to being a licensed tavern in 1992 and now boasting a liquor store – Oupa’s Tavern has remained a lasting feature of Kimberley’s nightlife week in and week out. Owner Oupa Louw, also affectionately known as Bra Parks, reveals how he has kept the establishment going over the years.
“I have always valued the safety of my patrons and flowing from their appreciation, I have managed to maintain a loyal support base. There is also no denying that the music – soul, jazz and rhythm and blues that we have stuck to, makes for good moments and we have avoided going digital by keeping the quality of our sound as pure as possible.”
And as we indulge into some more music talk, the tavern manager Sipho Louw brings out a vinyl titled Satisfy You! by Pappa Makhene of the brother duo Blondie and Pappa fame. From that album came the spellbinding hit I’m Still In Love With You which is still a signature tune at Oupa’s Tavern to this day. The vinyl is part of the tavern’s memorabilia and has been preserved from the shebeen years to now.
Sipho also gets to inform this writer that the owner was at some stage called Pappa by patrons during the early years owing to a shared love for the track. But then I also get to recall Baby I’m Scared of You by Womack & Womack from the album Love Wars as yet another signature tune, with both Louw’s gleefully nodding to my take.
Still on the music, Oupa says to me, “you know Thabo,” as I give my undivided attention; “I would like to purchase live band instruments in an effort to give exposure to young artists that are into the tavern’s kind of music. There is just so much talent out there and this should be the place for them to grow from.”
We weigh in on the special moments and Sipho recounts on the big sporting occasions always igniting the best vibe; “the derby days, Chiefs versus Pirates, guaranteed crowd pullers hence we have had to mount big screens all over with the place transforming itself into a sports bar. What I also find pleasing of late between the Chiefs and Pirates diehards is that the rivalry is short lived. At the end of the final whistle, the joy overflows with tolerance and acceptance of the result.”
Oupa also chips in with his own recollection; “I must add that mine goes back to the 2010 World Cup with European soccer fans keen on the experience of a township hang-out travelling all the way from Bloemfontein for a whole evening at our place. Then you also had those that frequented during Uruguay’s camping stint in Kimberley,” enthuses the black belt karateka who is also a biking fanatic.
South African Breweries (SAB) got Oupa to Mauritius, Thailand and Zimbabwe on a fully paid up complimentary vacations for his patronage and having stood the test of time with it.
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Thabo Mothibi is a former broadcast journalist (TV and Radio) – with specialist reporting experience; SABC Political/Parliamentary and TRC Teams over a period of five years (1995 to 2000).
One key foreign assignment - is the 11-nation African Connection Rally – overland journey from Africa’s northern-most pole in the coastal Tunisian city of Bizerte to the southern-most pole in South Africa’s Cape Agulhas. From the journalistic years, Thabo then delved into Government media liaison and serving two former Ministers and three MECs. He became the Northern Cape Provincial Government’s first department based Communications Director at Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development - 2008-2010 – where he also served as Head of Ministry from 2003 – 2008.
As a former anti-apartheid activist, his political background and professional training aided him in spearheading the Northern Cape ANC’s 2004 National Elections media and publicity campaign and that of the 2006 Local Government Elections.
Whilst based in Waterkloof in Pretoria -2010 to end 2011, he consulted for Manstrat Agricultural Intelligence, then returned to the Northern Cape in 2012 to date, to consult independently and pursue other entrepreneurial interests in media and communications through KwaVuko Communications and Marketing.
Thabo Mothibi obtained his NQF7 through Wits University’s Graduate School of Public and Development Management (P&DM) in Johannesburg, a Unilever Mandela Rhodes Academy for Marketing and Communications Academy (UMRA). The goal of the NQF7 programme was to educate and train public and private sector professional communicators and marketers in government communications..
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