ANC national spokesperson Zizi Kodwan said, “Comrade Selebi has been a long standing member of the African National Congress and the ANCYL. He has served both in the national executive council (NEC) of the ANC and had been the chairperson of the ANC`s youth section which he represented at the World Federation of Democratic Youth for four years.
“He served as NEC member for 23 years. As an NEC member he was chairperson of the welfare department.”
Kodwa said Selebi’s commitment to the liberation struggle had been his obsession. “He served as member of parliament for the first term of the democratic government under President Mandela. In the post-apartheid South Africa he served as the permanent representative of the country at the United Nations. He was chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of the United Nations. He was chair of the anti-landmine conference and later became the director general of foreign affairs,” Kodwa said.
In 2002 Selebi was vice-president of Interpol in the African region. In 2004 he became the president of Interpol which he served for a four-year term.
Kodwa concluded , “As we close the chapter of his life, we are opening the chapter of his legacy which will inspire generations to come to serve this nation with loyalty and steadfastness. The ANC will continue to pursue the noble ideals and the society that comrade Selebi pursued in his entire life to achieve.
“We dip our revolutionary banner in honour of this outstanding revolutionary. We convey our condolences to the family and kin at this difficult moment. His spirit and legacy will live on.”
