Karatekas lining up in a guard of honour as Lethabo Moshimane’s hearse enters the Heatherly Cemetery
Hubbly-bubbly, or hookah is a water pipe used to smoke flavoured tobacco.
It consists of a base (usually glass) cemented to one or more smoking tubes and the smoke is cooled by passing it through water that is in the base before inhalation.
Hubbly-bubbly became popular in the 1990s among young people and quickly became a favourite pastime across all age groups; leading to lounge suites being built, social clubs being established and festivals being organised for the purpose of smoking it.
Some people consider it “cool” to be seen smoking hubbly-bubbly.
The following are some facts pertaining to hubbly-bubbly/ hookah:
Young karatekas at the funeral of their fallen fellow Karateka Lethabo Moshimane
1.It was invented hundreds of years ago in the Middle East.
2.It has high levels of harmful chemicals which include tar, carbon monoxide, heavy metals and corciengens. 3.Hookah/ Hubbly-bubbly smokers are exposed to more carbon monoxide and smoke than cigarette smokers.
4.Those spending just an hour smoking hookah/ hubbly-bubbly inhale hundred to two hundred times more smoke than those smoking cigarettes.
5.Hubbly-bubbly/hookah is sold freely without government or municipal restrictions at foreign-owned spaza shops.
Tshwane Talks’ curiosuty on hookah/ hubbly-bubbly was sparked by reports suggesting that a 16-year-old boy Katlego Lethabo Kelvin Moshimane of Mamelodi allegedly died due to addiction to hookah/ hubbly-bubbly.
Mourners and older karatekas at the funeral of Lethabo Moshimane
He was a multi-talented sportsman involved in both soccer and Karate.
He was a member of the Kyokushinkaikan Karate Club as well as goalkeeper of Mamelodi Sundowns Under-16 football team.
Within a short space of time after being involved in Karate activities he won three titles in different weight divisions including the Under 35kg, Under 45kg as well as the Under-50kg.
His Karate coach Sensei Godfrey described him as a strong boy who didn’t give up easily.
“Hubbly-bubbly is a dangerous substance that kids need to stay away from and focus on their studies and building a good future for themselves,” warned Sensei Godfrey.
“Parents should also make sure that they check on their kids and encourage them to keep themselves busy with their studies and sporting activities at all times because kids indulge in bad, fatal habits as they are idle these days” he said.
Lethabo Katlego Kelvin Moshimane
Lethabo Moshimane’s coach at Mamelodi Sundowns Veli Hoogstander described him as a disciplined, humble, ever-smiling boy who was a special, agile goalkeeper who could also play as an in-field player when the proverbial chips were down.
“I met him when he joined the Under-16 Mamelodi Sundowns team late in 2023 from local team Powerlines,” said a distraught Hoogstander.
“I still can’t believe that he has passed on and each time I happen to be in his area in Section A5 in Mamelodi West I just feel like he would just appear from nowhere and come and have a chat with me,” he said.
“I didn’t know that he smoked hubbly-bubbly and he actually used to tell me that he hated the stuff,” said Hoogstander.
He pointed out that those smoking hubbly-bubbly/hookah develop “pop corn lungs,” whereby their lungs develop holes and bubbles resembling pop corn.
“I am appealing to all parents in the community of Mamelodi and Tshwane in general to help kids to stop smoking hubbly-bubbly,” he said.
“If Lethabo’s tragic fate was man-made and not the will of God, then he will fight back wherever he is and may his soul rest in peace,” said Hoogstander as a parting shot.
Lethabo Katlego Kelvin Moshimane was a Grade 7 learner at Tshimollo Primary School in Mamelodi West.
He was buried at the Heatherly Cemetery in the far East of Mamelodi on Sunday 22 June 2025.
Lala ngoxolo Kohai!