Mohlala was speaking at Namakgale town hall last week Thursday with hundreds of ANC members, supporters, municipal employees and family members present to pay tribute to the municipality’s general worker employee since 2012 and the ANC’s Sub-Regional Additional Member since December 2014.
“It was on Sunday morning after the successful Marula Festival when we received the sad news that a complete member of the ANC in ward 19 is no more. The awful news immediately brought back sad memories of the iconic Mzwakhe Mbuli’s song of spirit following the tragic passing away of comrade Friday Mavuso, President of DPSA – the Disabled People of South Africa who died in June 1995 in a car accident,” explained Mohlala.
“When he died I wished I could stage a sit-in in heaven. Pardon me, I am ignorant. Here I stand in search of Thy wisdom. Is death an idiom, or is death an idiot? Lord God, I do not understand. When are You on duty, and when are You on leave? Is there a holiday in heaven or not? Few years ago tragedy deprived us of two great talents. In one week You took away Arthur – “Fighting Prince” – Mayisela & Paul Ndlovu, the singer. Again, death deprived us of two great talents, Friday Mavuso & Hary Gwala, both paralysed. Lord, my God, do You care about the poor? Why then remove the shepherd from the sheep?” A devastated Mohlala said while they were still shocked with Madia’s death, the dark cloud increased with the sudden passing away of the movement’s volunteer, Freddy Sithole; the sub-regional 2016 local elections team co-ordinator having passed away two days after Madia.
“The family has lost a mother, wife, aunt, granny, but the movement has lost a giant. She joined the ANC immediately after the liberation movement’s unbanning in 1990 and worked as a volunteer for our people. She served in many capacities, within her Ackson Malatji branch, as ANC and ANCWL Secretary and later in 2012 when the branch went to central Namakgale and again in 2014 after ward demarcations as a BEC member,” remarked Mohlala.
Mohlala further said Madia as opposed to some members within the movement never demanded to be elected or deployed as a leader. “In December 2014 during our subregional elective meeting, when names were circulating and her name was not one of them, one of the members withdrew from the list and comrades recommended her name, having gone through the eye of the needle process. She was ultimately elected as an additional member to serve for two years. She was forever reliable, dedicated and still had a huge race to complete,” noted a weeping Mohlala.
The Chairperson added that Madia understood clearly rule four of the ANC with reference to members joining the organization voluntarily without any monetary expectations.
“Comrade Madia served as a ward committee member before the stipends issue was fashionable and despite many who joined the movement before her were deployed, she never complained nor stopped campaigning for the ANC because her name wasn’t forwarded. Don’t come to the ANC hoping to be a Mayor, Speaker, Chief Whip or Ward Councillor. If you came for those things, then you are at a wrong organization. The ANC deploys us through the eye of the needle and comrades ought to respect our values, principles and the constitution,” explained Mohlala while sub-regional Secretary, Victor Sehlwane, REC members, Pule Shayi, Eric Hlongwane and ANCWL PEC member, Alena Peta were taking notes and listening attentively, seated at the table reserved for leaders. Mohlala added that they don’t need “bommakaepeya” in the ANC.
“We are duty bound to work together whether you like me or not, my friend or not, as comrades we have a duty to work as a team. She was to us more than a comrade. She is alive because we are committed to do what she was committed to, being changing the lives of our people for the better. With the 2016 local elections imminent, we were certain of an overwhelming victory as we knew that the ANC under her guidance was in safe hands. Those who left before her are celebrating where they are because a true Cde has joined their family,” concluded Mohlala.
Speaker after speaker, including her municipal supervisor, the sub-regional treasure Idah Mukansi, Alan Peta on behalf of the Mayor Anah Sono, SAMWU’s Victoria Mashailane, her son, Prince Madia, her friend and colleague and Programme Director, Shadrack Ramalepe described her as a humble, caring, loving, and dedicated and loved education despite being 56 years old. She was buried on Saturday at Tickline cemetery outside Tzaneen.
