Honouring the legacy of Bill Jardine
A memorial service was held for the late Bill Jardine.
A memorial service was held for the late Bill Jardine on July 17 at the Saint John the Baptist Church in Riverlea. This marked twenty years since Jardine’s unfortunate death.
Jardine was an anti-apartheid activist and noted sportsman who played a key role in racially unifying sports and facilitating South African participation internationally.
At the memorial family and fellow comrades came together to share memories and reflect on the legacy which Jardine left behind.
“Bill has passed away twenty years ago but we still keep the memories of him like it was yesterday. We are a strange bunch, we mostly known in community circles, sporting and educational circles but also Bill politics that he left behind.
“It seems like just yesterday that we were visiting him at John Vorster Police Station. Our freedom came and before he could enjoy it, he was gone and so did the opportunity for his grandchildren to enjoy his silliness at times and his very serious side and also the expectations of us all as citizens.
“Tonight, we have a memorial service to celebrate Bills life, it’s a time to honour Bills passing and to affirm the bonds of the community, memory, and hope that sustained us in sorrow.”
“It’s also fitting that this service takes place when the world celebrates Nelson Mandela’s hundredth birthday, its indeed a time for healing and giving and I’m sure that my dad who was a very ordinary man would love to be remembered at the same time as this great icon,” said Jardine’s son, Neville Jardine.
Maree-Louise Uren, who is Bill Jardine’s granddaughter said: “Many who have visited grandma Anne has seen in her lounge many accolades and awards that Bill has received throughout his life.
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“The presidential award that he received in 1997-1998, the sports federations award in 1994 and the protea award for being a founding member in the United Democratic Front (UDF) but the most precious award can’t be found in grandma Anne’s lounge.
“The most precious award that we have is the living legacy of my grandfather. This living legacy has set the tone for most of our lives, its characterised by integrity, passion to persevere and achieve every goal you set, relationships related to love for all people, humility, to place the needs of others before our own, and humour that would make any heart smile.”
Uren explained that her grandfather would have encouraged us to not keep our qualities to ourselves but to teach someone, that we need to start to love one another, that way South Africa will become a better place.
A fellow comrade Murphy Morobe also shared: “Everyone who has met uncle Bill has a good story to tell. He is a man who I embraced as a father, a friend and a comrade. I met uncle Bill in the UDF days in the 80’s as one of the organisations involved in sports.”
“I was arrested on both occasions when the country was called a ‘state of emergency’ and my second meeting with Uncle Bill was what struck my interest, I was arrested in Port Elizabeth in 1987 and about eight months later I was transferred to Sun City prison, when I got to my cell, I turned my mattress around and I found a R10 note and Uncle Bill was the one who left it there for anyone who was going to take up his cell and our relationship started when I came out of prison.”
“It was his simplicity that struck me, his ability to reach out to anyone who needed help. What Uncle Bill did in fighting for this freedom was to create conditions that we could find opportunities in to realize our full potential.”
Pastor Anthony Adams, Justin Jardine, Sylvia Isaac, Christopher Jardine and Jardine’s great-grandchildren; Kristen Uren, Carla McLaren, and Kyle Jardine also contributed to the service.
To learn more about Bill Jardine you can purchase the book ‘Now Listen Here’ – The Life and Times of Bill Jardine’ written by the late author Chris van Wyk.
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