One could be forgiven for regarding Lionel Manamela a friendly family man who takes to stage performances in his spare time, and not a hardened ex-Umkonto we Sizwe (MK) cadre who later headed the security unit of the African National Congress (ANC) in Limpopo and was entrusted with guarding the late Nelson Mandela both in Gauteng and during visits to the province.
“Comrade Lionel”, as he is affectionately known among ANC supporters whom he effortlessly moves to their feet with his songs of struggle and freedom, shared his story at an opportune time when the world stopped for 67 minutes to pay tribute to an icon by assisting where needed. During an interview Manamela delved into South Africa’s rich history for recollections of the dynamics of a pre-democracy period, various phases of his life and career and then memories of the former elder party president whom he was honoured to protect as VIP guard.
The long walk Manamela took Polokwane Observer on started with his birth in Rakgoatha Village in the Zebediela area little over 50 years ago and beyond the liberation of South Africans and the freedom he sings about, both when entertaining audiences and on the eight CDs he had released over the years.
It continues with him remembering moving to his dad’s roots at Ga-Manamela at Moletjie and later to Lebowakgomo, where he matriculated. He points out that at high school he was part of the Lebowakgomo Youth Congress and Congress of South African Students, along with best friend Jabu Mphahlele. He describes them as having been politically active, organising marches and meetings far and wide at that young age. They have remained close over the years and Mphahlele nowadays is his producer and music writer as well as secretary of the ANC’s Solomon Mahlangu branch in Ward 18 in Lebowakgomo which he belongs to, Manamela points out.
His story takes a detour to 1985 when still at school and becoming involved in MK operations before later receiving his training in Zimbabwe and Algeria. In between there is reference to being arrested at home at 02:00 one morning under the prescripts of the State of Emergency. He tells of subsequently being imprisoned in the then Pietersburg for a year with comrades whose names he rattles off. The same names frequent history books.
After the necessary training in VIP protection, he was incorporated in the ANC’s security unit in 1990. During that period he had to guard Mandela during visits to different Gauteng locations, such as Ennerdale and Lenasia as well as the FNB Stadium, he states. The following year Manamela was given the responsibility as Head of Security of the ANC in Limpopo, resulting in him being Mandela’s closest protector when he often came to the province during the period up to 1994. Manamela remembers him usually staying over at Protea Hotel Ranch Resort, from there moving on to meetings across Limpopo, either with the business community or tribal heads and addressing church congregations as well as attending ceremonies.
According to him guarding Mandela was problematic, for he was a greater risk unto himself than everyone else wanting to be in his presence, as he always wanted to exchange greetings with people and never passed a child going unnoticed. In such a situation a friendly risk becomes a deadly risk, he remarks.
Manamela speaks with nostalgia of the times he would either be responsible for rendering VIP protection or be driving the vehicle Mandela was travelling in. They always shared conversations during those encounters. Mandela, he says, never wanted to be rushed and regularly wanted to stop to greet pedestrians along the route. Due to his caring nature he also always enquired whether the guards have eaten, according to Manamela.
One of the encounters standing out is a time when Mandela was Chancellor of the University of Limpopo and an unruly crowd closed in on him during an event at a stadium. The probability of risk necessitated his protectors to form a human chain to get him to safety with the closest option then being a Toyota Cressida, he laughs.
Manamela tells of an occasion in Thohoyandou where people lined the street to get a glimpse of him whereupon Mandela insisted on greeting everyone in the procession, resulting in him making his protectors wait for an hour or two.
He remembers the icon as a fighter for liberation and freedom, an opposer of racism and protector of culture and religion. “He was such a great man.” He continues to remark that it was simply in Mandela’s nature to want to connect with others, irrespective of colour or culture. “He loved his people.”
Manamela relates his moving on to join the Police’s VIP Protection Unit in 1995 and six years later was appointed Deputy Manager of the security unit in then Premier Ngoako Ramatlhodi’s office. He stayed on until 2003, when promoted to Security Manager within the Department of Transport and after a stint of two years resigned from government service.
Apart from his role as partner in a local private security business Manamela is full-time performer of freedom and struggle songs made popular during the liberation battle. From past experience based on covering ANC events, his ability to move crowds with the pulsating lyrics about the history of his people and energetic on-stage manoeuvres can be attested to. To keep fit for those performances the father of three – who also gives credit to wife Eveline – mentions that he still does long-distance running.
Singing has always formed part of his life, starting from when he was a young church-goer. He continued with it while an MK operative and polished his talents in prison, he says. He released his first CD in 2006. All the current hype is caused by “Unity”, the last compilation that speaks to the buzz word going round in ANC ranks.
And so an erstwhile VIP protector who battled to stay out of the limelight in the past proceeded to turn the spotlight towards his passion, which still references the leader whose life he once undertook to safeguard.
Story: YOLANDE NEL
>>observer.yolande@gmail.com
Photos: YOLANDE NEL / ENDY SENYATSI
