99 year old Dr. Richard Maponya passed on in the early hours of Monday morning due to a short illness. The Maponya family requested the media to allow them time to grieve in this time of distress. The details of the funeral will be released by the family soon.
Dr. Maponya started out as a school teacher in Limpopobefore venturing into the clothing industry.
President Ramaphosa added that the youth has a lot to learn from Dr. Maponya as he was the first Black man to own a BMW car dealership in Soweto in the 1980s. In 2007 Maponya opened Maponya Mall in Klipspruit, Soweto on the land he had bought during the 1970s.
The late Maponya played a crucial role in uplifting the community and contributing towards the township economy.
