NOMVULA MOKONYANE
Africa-Press – South-Africa. His Creator called him at a time of self-reflection as we remembered the passion of Jesus Christ. A sad loss to many in this period of shifting geopolitics in Africa and the world. One is grateful for those valuable moments and being guided, advised and respected by my grootman, His Excellency Zolani Mtshotshisa. His last days were very emotional and tested our faith, but we kept praying: “Let Thy Will be done.”
Our thoughts are with his family, his children he loved so dearly, and the people and leaders of Côte d’Ivoire, where he represented our country and the president with passion and courage.
A son of the Eastern Cape, Mtshotshisa was born in Duncan Village, East London. Soon his family was compelled to move to Mdantsane by apartheid’s forced removals. While he hailed from a politically conscious and active family Mtshotshisa was part of the generation of the 1970s who led protests in Mdantsane, especially at Mzomhle High School, which he attended, and he would eventually be the target of the security branch.
By 1977, in the aftermath of the death of Steve Bantu Biko, state suppression intensified significantly, but this did not deter Mtshotshisa and his comrades from forging forward for freedom. Among these comrades were the likes of Mzukisi Skweyiya, Mzimkhulu Gwentshe, Boy Mnyaka.Soon it was time for him to leave the country.
In 1979, as the apartheid regime was preparing to hang our hero Solomon Mahlangu, Mtshotshisa organised a night vigil on April 5, the night before the execution, in a church in Maseru, Lesotho. By this time, he was under the command of Comrade Chris Hani.
Eventually he would move to Lusaka where, like so many of his comrades, he underwent political training and worked under the mentorship of Khathu Joel Netshitenzhe and Pallo Jordan. Working together at Radio Freedom, they helped shape the ANC’s underground communications machinery in ensuring that cadres of the liberation movement, whether in South Africa, in the camps or in exile, heard the messages of their leaders and were properly educated politically.
As a result, it is said Mtshotshisa would distinguish himself with his clarity of thought, discipline, love of literature and history and these were his contributions to the communications machinery of the ANC at the time. The ANC decided to send him for studies in Hungary and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), where he obtained a journalism qualification. He then returned to Tanzania, continuing his work for Radio Freedom. Later he would move to Harare, where he expanded the ANC’s communications infrastructure in Zimbabwe.
With the unbanning of the ANC and other political organisations and the release of our political prisoners, Mtshotshisa returned from exile in 1991 and served in the private and public sector. At the time of his death, he was serving as ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire, where he represented South Africa with distinction, humility and a deep sense of commitment to the African continent.
A gentle giant, grounded in principle, rich in intellect, unwavering in the cause of our people’s emancipation, personifying sacrifice and possessing an acute sense of visionary leadership were just some of the characteristics that come to mind when one thinks of this colossus of a comrade.
You coached me well, including advising me on who to go to for those finer tailored African suits. You will always remain a part of us, bhut’ James. We thought you would come back kanti, you were going to your eternal rest. Phumla ngobuhle, grootman yethu.
From Nomvula uDSG wakho, “suster wakho”, dankie, ngiyabonga, for all you have been, and may you now have eternal rest.
Mokonyane is the first deputy secretary-general of the ANC and the chairperson of the ANC NEC subcommittee on international relations
Source: TimesLIVE
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