FROM DIRTY HANDS TO A SEAT AT THE TABLE: HOW MEC "DIKGEREKGERE" RACHOENE CHANGED ONE LIFE, THEN 590 MORE

Mpho Dube
4 hours ago
4 min read

TUT graduate Fontein Fabregaz: "God sent him to poor people like us." Inside the MEC's jobs revolution that delivered 140 new workers in one day

Inspirational. BEFORE: Fontein Fabregaz hustling with ice cubes, working hard for an opportunity. AFTER: Fontein Fabregaz today, standing with MEC Ernest Rachoene after his life was changed through government opportunities. From struggle to progress. #ReABetaPhakanaAHlabirwa

By Mpho Dube, Editor-in-Chief

The Azanian | Truth. Fearless. Unfiltered.

AZANIAFROCOMEDIA – The Catalyst of Impact

LIMPOPO — On 10 August 2023, the photo showed dirty hands next to crates of fruit. A Tshwane University of Technology graduate from Tzaneen, working on a farm just to survive. He captioned it "Hard At Work".

Three years later, the same hands are clean. The same man is seated in a government hall, employed, with dignity. "Hard At Work" again.

This is the story of Fontein Fabregaz.

This is also the story of Cde Tonny "Dikgerekgere" Ernest Rachoene, MEC for Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure. Because when leadership delivers, lives change.

Fabregaz did what thousands of graduates are forced to do. After TUT, it was retail. It was pushing ice cubes in a shop. It was farm work. Another viral post shared captured it perfectly: BEFORE - Fabregaz behind a trolley of ice. AFTER - Fabregaz standing next to MEC Rachoene at a Public Works event. That post got 210+ reactions and 19 shares.

"After TUT I was self-employed," Fabregaz says. "I did what I had to do for my family in Tzaneen."

Then came 1 August 2026. The hall in Polokwane was full of new uniforms and new hope. MEC Rachoene, known across the province as "Dikgerekgere" — the one who gets things moving — welcomed 140 newly appointed employees. Artisans, engineers, administrators, EPWP graduates. They will be deployed to the department’s 36 Cost-Centres in Vhembe, Mopani, Capricorn, Sekhukhune and Waterberg.Fabregaz was among them.

He posted the handshake photo on 03 August. 390 likes. 178 comments. 3 shares. "I want to humbly thank the mighty God for always protecting and guiding me... and also big big thanks to the most hard working honorable MEC of Public works, roads and infrastructure Phakana'a Hlabirwa Chairman of all the people in Limpopo Province. Rea reta..."

A week later, his testimony broke through even more."This Hon MEC changed my life for good. No words can express how I respect and salute the good work his doing. He didn't changed my life only but my entire family and my very own family is happy and stress free."

He quoted the line that moved him to tears: "if I hire one man in a poor family that one man can change the lives of others."

Fabregaz said:"I cried ko Jack botes because he touched me alot..."

But he didn't stop there. Fabregaz called the MEC "The Rome. The entrance and exit. A General who doesn't abandon his army to please the camp of the enemies."

"Re nyakile o hwa ka mockery but God sent him to poor poor people like us. Rea leboga ebile o hire le ba bangwe Hlabirwa "

He also wrote: "When Phakana'a Hlabirwa speak I drop everything and listen because his not a reluctant leader but an active leadership... Eita Daar ba baholo " 214 reactions.

And to prove he is now part of the system, he commented: "don't be surprised seeing me online at working time... we are here out hall for work shop. I heard him regarding time management and performance and it will never go unnoticed. Rea reta "

The comments agreed: "Great work by the MEC Phakana.. Re a reta", "Confronting poverty in all facets". Fabregaz is not an exception. He is the evidence.

In just 18 months under MEC Rachoene, Public Works has been re-engineered from the inside:

1. 590 NEW PERMANENT JOBS created. 350 of them are young people. Another 238 posts will be filled.

2. R26.9 MILLION SKILLS PROGRAMME launched with MERSETA and CETA. 210 young apprentices now training as electricians, welders, plumbers, carpenters and bricklayers, with enterprise development so they can own businesses.

3. INFRASTRUCTURE ON THE MOVE. Through the 21 New Roads initiative and #DikgerekgereWednesdays, teams are in communities every week. Grading. Patching. Maintaining. With one rule: SMMEs, youth, women and EPWP must benefit. "If we build and no one eats, we have not built at all," the MEC says.

At the induction, the MEC told the 140 recruits: "You are the face of Public Works. People will judge government by how you treat them, how fast you fix, and how honestly you serve. We will not deploy you and abandon you. We will walk with you."

From dirty hands on a farm in 2023. To "Hard At Work" in 2026.

From 1 graduate struggling. To 140 in one day. To 730 in 18 months.

Cde Tonny "Dikgerekgere" Rachoene is not promising delivery. He is delivering it. One life at a time. One family at a time. "A re šomeng!"