{"id":91395,"date":"2025-10-13T09:29:41","date_gmt":"2025-10-13T09:29:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/nathi-mthethwa-a-gallant-leader-for-the-oppressed"},"modified":"2025-10-13T09:59:41","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T09:59:41","slug":"nathi-mthethwa-a-gallant-leader-for-the-oppressed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/nathi-mthethwa-a-gallant-leader-for-the-oppressed","title":{"rendered":"Nathi Mthethwa A Gallant Leader for the Oppressed"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – South-Africa. <\/strong><\/span>President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday the late South African ambassador to France Nathi Mthethwa always led by example and excelled in whatever task he was given.<\/p>\n

Delivering a eulogy at Mthethwa\u2019s funeral at Siyabonga Sangweni sport complex in Dondotha village in kwesaKwaMthethwa outside Richards Bay, Ramaphosa said comrades should learn from Mthethwa that it is not about how one begins but about how consistent one is in the course of one\u2019s life.\u201cComrade Nathi (Mthethwa) led by example from the beginning to the end, and at all times he always excelled in the task bestowed on him,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Ramaphosa described Mthethwa as a gallant leader who always championed the cause of the oppressed.\u201cEven in the early stages of his struggle he fought for the rights of workers who were oppressed in Pinetown. We gather here today, in mourning and in gratitude, to honour the life of a remarkable leader \u2014 someone whose courage, conviction and compassion helped steer our nation towards freedom and justice,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Ramaphosa said Mthethwa may be gone but his spirit would endure as would the many lessons learnt from his illustrious life.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe man we are laying to rest today was an unapologetic activist. From the earliest days of his activism, ambassador Mthethwa refused to accept the injustice of apartheid. Faced with laws that sought to divide, demean and destroy, he responded not with resignation, but with resolve,\u201d he said, adding that Mthethwa always led from the front.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe placed himself on the front lines \u2014 not because he sought glory, but because he believed in the correctness of our struggle for freedom and the dignity of every person. For him living a life of activism was not just about protest \u2014 it was about purpose. It was about committing yourself to something larger than personal comfort: justice, equality, dignity, freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ramaphosa said a life of activism is not easy. It is often uncomfortable, even dangerous.<\/p>\n

\u201cMthethwa knew from an early age that the path of activism he had chosen was a difficult one and that it would involve sacrifice. That he would pay a price,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Ramaphosa said Mthethwa was a beacon of hope for many.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven in adversity, ambassador Mthethwa remained steady. He was a beacon to many, teaching us that freedom is never free, that resistance sometimes demands sacrifice, but that our highest obligation is to keep faith with the promise of human equality.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said he knew the loss was deeply personal to the family.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recognise the many private sacrifices you made so that comrade Nathi might carry public burdens. Today, we share your grief. We stand with you in sorrow, but also in pride: of a life lived with integrity, of a mission fulfilled that was bigger than any single person, but which needed people like Nyambose to bring it into being,\u201d said Ramaphosa.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe life of ambassador Mthethwa offers several deep and relevant lessons \u2014 for both young people and those within the ANC and government \u2014 especially in a time when many are questioning the future of the struggle, leadership and public service.\u201d<\/p>\n

KwaZulu-Natal premier Thami Ntuli hailed Mthethwa for his role in bringing about peace between the ANC and IFP in the province.<\/p>\n

ANC NEC member Malusi Gigaba said they still could not believe that Mthethwa had departed.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven if we are at his funeral today, we still do not believe that he is no more,\u201d said Gigaba.<\/p>\n

Mthethwa\u2019s uncle Musakawupheli Mthethwa said the family was still reeling from shock over his death.<\/p>\n

Musakawupheli hailed his nephew as a hero in the Mthethwa clan.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About South-Africa<\/span> Follow Africa-Press<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – South-Africa. President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday the late South African ambassador to France Nathi Mthethwa always led by example and excelled in whatever task he was given. Delivering a eulogy at Mthethwa\u2019s funeral at Siyabonga Sangweni sport complex in Dondotha village in kwesaKwaMthethwa outside Richards Bay, Ramaphosa said comrades should learn from […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":91393,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,7,12],"tags":[275],"class_list":["post-91395","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-head-lines","category-policy","tag-south-africa-2"],"yoast_head":"\nNathi Mthethwa A Gallant Leader for the Oppressed - South Africa<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday the late South African ambassador to France Nathi Mthethwa always led by exampl ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/nathi-mthethwa-a-gallant-leader-for-the-oppressed\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Nathi Mthethwa A Gallant Leader for the Oppressed\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday the late South African ambassador to France Nathi Mthethwa always led by exampl ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/nathi-mthethwa-a-gallant-leader-for-the-oppressed\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"South Africa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-10-13T09:29:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-10-13T09:59:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/sites\/31\/2025\/10\/sm_1760336874.089947.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/nathi-mthethwa-a-gallant-leader-for-the-oppressed#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/nathi-mthethwa-a-gallant-leader-for-the-oppressed\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"Nathi Mthethwa A Gallant Leader for the Oppressed\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-13T09:29:41+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-13T09:59:41+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/nathi-mthethwa-a-gallant-leader-for-the-oppressed\"},\"wordCount\":620,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/nathi-mthethwa-a-gallant-leader-for-the-oppressed#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/sites\/31\/2025\/10\/sm_1760336874.089947.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"South-Africa\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"head lines\",\"policy\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/nathi-mthethwa-a-gallant-leader-for-the-oppressed#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/nathi-mthethwa-a-gallant-leader-for-the-oppressed\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/nathi-mthethwa-a-gallant-leader-for-the-oppressed\",\"name\":\"Nathi Mthethwa A Gallant Leader for the Oppressed - 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