Sekel Kobate John was born in the village of Schoonoord in the area of Sekhukhune. He started his primary education at Schoonoord Primary School. He completed his matric at Kgalatlou High School. From there he went to work for the Department of Correctional Services in Pretoria from 1980 to 2016. His passion for writing was motivated by his love for the Sepedi language as well as his dedication to the growth and development of Sepedi. Mr Sekele has published 17 Sepedi books and has received numerous awards in the writing space, which include the M Net Literary Award in 2011 and the Arts and Culture Award in 2014.