Parliament, Wednesday, 29 March 2017 – The Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation at its ordinary meeting today decided to hold a moment of silence and to express messages of condolences to the families of the late African National Congress stalwart, Mr Ahmed Kathrada, prominent South African comedian, Joe Mafela and prolific businessperson and former owner of Bloemfontein Celtic Football Club, Mr Petrus Molemela.
On Comrade Ahmed Kathrada, the Committee said on Tuesday morning the country woke up to the sad news of the passing of one of the heroes of the South African liberation struggle. A political visionary and a veteran parliamentarian whose ideals harnessed the simmering racial divisions during apartheid and went on to became a cog of a political movement – the ANC – that became a cross-racial crucible. This is nowhere better to be experienced than in the non-racial, non-sexist and democratic views he embraced to the end.
This ex-Robben Island Prisoner and one of the prominent South African politicians, who were part of the Rivonia Treason Trial, will forever remain a presiding spirit over our new dispensation because his unyielding tenacity has brought to the fore, in a stark and memorable manner, the moral bankruptcy of the apartheid regime. One of which was the regime’s conscious and valiant effort to turn this country into the darkest valley of racial factionalism, but the triumphant spirit of human solidarity coalesced by the leaders of comrade Kathrada’s calibre reigned supreme. And through his valiant endeavours he will always be remembered as one of our country’s political stalwarts who stood unyielding on a moral high ground. And due to his conscience, we now know the deadly depths to which racial prejudice can sink. It is this selfless struggle of self-determination that Comrade Ahmed Kathrada was to dedicate to this country.
His passing marks one of the painful moments to the collective consciousness of those who embrace humanity and all its freedoms. We have not only lost a gentle soul, a selfless being, but also a beacon of wisdom whose moral campus helped to steer our country to a peaceful transition against all odds.
Uncle Kathy, as he was affectionately known, will always be remembered as an embodiment of the ideals and values that today constitute the tenets of our freedom and democracy – that have now become our second nature. The best way to honour his life and times and to remember his contribution to humanity, is to uphold his principles and to jealously guard against the gains he bequeathed us. The gains whose philosophy and doctrine have found expression in the letter and spirit of our Constitution would now be immortalised by his foundation (the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation).
In this moment and hour, we are joining his beloved family and the nation in mourning a leader and in celebrating an elastic legacy of selflessness. Comrade Kathrada may have departed, but we should be grateful that he bestowed us with a well of wisdom and unwavering conscience that will remain the reference points of our collective future.
On the late Mr Joe Mafela, the Committee stated that arts and culture have always been the subsets of our country’s political history. They constituted another form of identity formation. Mr Mafela was an integral part of this cause. He brought warmth and laughter to many black homes that led grief-stricken lives under apartheid. He used comedy to parody black experiences during apartheid and in the process made black people to feel human again. But most of all, he used comedy to unearth the rich cultural heritage embedded in South African indigenous languages, folklore and oral history. And he displayed a genuine expertise in this regard. South Africa is poorer without his jokes.
On Petrus Rantlai Molemela, the Committee said that he was an outstanding embodiment of an illustrious spirit of black entrepreneurship and demonstrated a great deal of talent and industry in the business world. He is one of the first self-made black moguls who successfully built their business empires during apartheid against all odds. He went on to turn Bloemfontein Football Club, a lesser known football club at the time, into a gainful business enterprise and in the process made it one of the most admired football outfits in South Africa.
We are thankful that we, as South Africans, had a privilege to be part of the lives of these three great South Africans and we herewith send our messages of condolences to their respective families, friends and comrades.
May Their Departed Souls Rest In Peace.
Hamba Kahle “Mkhonto”
Hamba Kahle “Sdumo”
Hamba Kahle “Whitehead”
ISSUED BY PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION, MR SIPHOSEZWE MASANGO
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