Tributes pour for struggle hero Riot Makhomanisi Mkhwanazi

TRIBUTES have poured in from all quarters following the death of struggle veteran, Riot Makhomanisi Mkhwanazi, who passed away on Saturday after a long illness.

Mkhwanazi (83) was among freedom fighters arrested under the apartheid regime in 1964, along with President Jacob Zuma, while crossing border to Botswana and served 10 years on Robben Island.

On Tuesday, President Zuma, accompanied by ANC Provincial Chairperson Sihle Zikalala, Premier Willies Mchunu and the ANC leadership in Musa Dladla Region paid a visit to the grieving family of the late stalwart in kwaDlangezwa.

Addressing a sizable number of supporters who had converged on Mkhwanazi’s home, Zuma said Mkhwanazi was a well-grounded comrade who displayed the highest level of discipline, and whose loyalty to the party was unquestionable.

‘I’m here to pay homage to a friend and a comrade who was like an elder brother to me. We travelled a long journey together. We used to call him ‘Sdumo samaKhomanisi’ because of his bravery.

‘He risked his life fighting for all South Africans to be free from apartheid. He fought a good fight.

‘One of the highlights of his political career was when he he stood as a Councillor against an IFP candidate and won when it was taboo to do so here in areas under traditional leadership. This paved way for the ANC to make inroads into the area and later wrestle control of the municipality from the IFP.’

Trade unionist
Reacting to the news, spokesperson of the Young Communist League (YCL) in the Riot Makhomanisi Mkhwanazi District, Khulezweni Shwala said the district was poor without Mkhwanazi.

‘We will remember Baba Mkhwanazi as a radical trade unionist, and a disciplined member of the SACP and ANC.

‘As YCL we celebrate his life not only for his contribution in the pre-1994 struggle of the people, but also for his post-1994 contribution in changing and making better the people’s lives.

‘We are indeed honoured by the reality that our district was named after this disciplined cadre of our movement.

‘As we will be joining YCLSA branches, districts, and provinces in our upcoming 3rd National Council, we will be in the revolutionary spirit of Comrade Riot and the Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro,’ he said.

Umhlathuze COSATU Local Secretary Linda Mashaba described Mkhwanazi as ‘a stalwart of our revolution who lived to serve and was always humble’.

‘The nation has lost a great revolutionary. His commitment to building a better South Africa was evident when he insisted that as a birthday gift in 2014, a bursary fund be established in his name.

‘We will always hold his revolutionary legacy in the highest regard and will honour the sacrifices he made in the course of the struggle for a better, non-racial and non sexist South Africa,’ he said.

The SACP in Riot Makhomanisi Mkhwanazi District has also sent its heartfelt condolences to the Mkhwanazi family.

District Secretary David Chonco said his party has lost a true revolutionary and highly disciplined member.

‘We are humbled that as a district we were fortunate to have engaged with Mkhwanazi on matters and he has graced some of our programmes.

‘He was always willing to impart his knowledge and wisdom, and that wisdom can not be easily found.

‘We salute him, and will continue to fight for the advancement of socialism. Hamba kahle Comrades Mkhwanazi,’ he said.

Prison
Mkhwanazi, like Zuma, learned how to read and write while in prison, where his political consciousness was deepened. Before he was released with other freedom fighters, Cde Mkhwanazi received a letter from Nelson Mandela urging them to continue where they left off before imprisonment in the struggle to free South Africans.

He followed in the footsteps of his father, Madonso Mkhwanazi, who was one of the first South Africans who defied apartheid laws by burning his dompas during the 1930s.

Mkhwanazi joined the ANC in 1959 and Umkhonto Wesizwe in 1962. He went into exile in Mozambique until the Nkomati Accord was signed between South Africa and Mozambique in 1984.

He returned to South Africa in the early 1990s, and continued to serving the ANC selflessly.

He received several awards including the Order of Mendi for Bravery.

Mkhwanazi is survived by three children Thokozani Pretty, Nompumelelo and Ndlelenhle and seven grandchildren.

According to family members he will be laid to rest on Sunday at his home next to his late wife Thandiwe who passed way in 2014.

A State funeral is also planned for that day.

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