Yokwe family, comrades, friends and fellow mourners.
This is a moment of great pain and grief for the family of our dear comrade, Malibongwe Yokwe .
It is also a moment of intense grief and sadness for all of us in the African National Congress.
Nelson Mandela Bay here is your son, lifeless and cold, his race accomplished!
What a great mind has ceased to be, what a torch of reason has ceased to light, Oh! What a heart has ceased to beat!
A deep sense of desolation fills our hearts as reality truly dawns and begins to settle that Malibongwe is no more.
We salute this hero of our revolution, who from early on in his life, dedicated his life and energy to the cause of national liberation through Congress of South African Students, South African Youth Congress, ANC Youth League and graduated to the African National Congress.
Cde Malibongwe Yokwe was a thinker and strategist as I recall a concept he presented to the ANC PEC last year titled “Towards the political reorganization and regrouping of progressive cadres in the Eastern Cape ‘’.
In his concept he lifted few objectives amongst others:
· To promote political education and mentoring young and enthusiastic comrades
· To provide a platform to comrades who might otherwise feel alienated and ostracized by recent political events, processes and practices in the ANC.
He did highlight in the concept that he is not undermining organizational structures but want to provide a platform to renew our movement.
He did all this because he knew that for its success, this historic project requires cadres who must necessarily and practically approach their work with great determination, skill, courage, boldness, discipline and enthusiasm. And thus, in Malibongwe, we had both a thinker and a doer.
We had a cadre for the new South Africa who knew how to combine theory and practice.
While he lived he was but mortal, but in death he has been immortalised!
With heavy hearts, we bid a fond farewell to you, Oh! Great Son of Africa!
You were truly Africa`s Own Child!
On behalf of our glorious movement and the PEC, I am privileged to discharge the heavy responsibility to extend heartfelt condolences to Malibongwe’s wife, Lelethu, his kids and the entire Yokwe family.
Lala ngoxolo Jola, Mphankomo, Qengeba, Thole loMthwakazi , Jolinkomo
