Program Director : Cde Tolashe
Umfundisi :
Dr WB Rubusana Regional leadership
Alliance leadership
BCM Troika
Public representatives
Markhan family and friends
Members of the ANC in the Region
Comrades and friends
Good afternoon. Let me from the onset once again on behalf of the PEC convey our deepest condolences to the Makhan Family, his wife comrade Vroodha, his son Darmesh and daughter Sheetal. Our thoughts are with them as they move forward with their lives without their beloved Barry.
We thank them dearly for allowing Barry to serve the ANC for so many years, from the dark old days of our struggle against apartheid until he drew his last breadth on this earth. We know his service to our movement came with huge sacrifices to his family, but that is what defines the life of revolutionaries. They live for a far bigger cause than their own. Nelson Mandela once said: “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”
May the family gather strength to pick up the spear from where comrade Barry left it and continue to support the ANC to achieve the objectives of the National Democratic Revolution. Long live the spirit of Comrade Barry Makhan Long Live!
Comrades, we are gathered here today as the ANC family to immortalise the life of one of the best volunteers and members of our movement, comrade Barry Makhan. Since his passing, there has been an echo of a single message in the movement that we have lost an outstanding cadre.
Inqabile kakhulu ke lonto yokuba sivumelane ngomzila omhle oshiywe liqabane. But it is a characteristic that defines the comrades who belonged to the generation of Comrade Barry and generations before his. These are generations who held the ANC values of sacrifice and selfless service in the highest esteem. Comrade Barry’s life and times in the movement was epitomised by these values of putting others before himself.
He lived by the solemn oath he took when he voluntarily joined the ANC and ensured that he worked for the advancement of the movement’s objectives. As senior as he was in the organisation, Comrade Barry had the energy we expect to see in young lions. He always placed his energies and skills at the disposal of the organisation, particulalry during election campaign time. He would spend sleepless nights in his company to produce campaign material for the ANC, and deliver it to various parts of the province to ensure the visibility of the ANC brand in our communities. Most of the campaign products he produced, he did at no cost to the ANC. He felt it was his obligation as a member of the ANC to volunteer whatever resource he had, be it his time or skills. Our movement yearns for the kind of cadre Comrade Barry was, a cadre who does not say what is in it for me when he/she is given tasks by the movement.
Sikwixesha lomandigandlulwa ngoku embuthweni. Abantu abacinga lento sikuyo yeyeziqu zabo. Uninzi labo alulali ebusuku bacebana nodunga-dunga ucwangco nozinzo kwi ANC kuba kaloku kufuneka kuxole iintliziyo zabo zekubekanti yonke into ime ngendlela kwi ANC. Ingekenzeki lonto I ANC mayingabheki phambili nayo ngomsebenzi wokuphucula ubomi babantu.
That is why they have a misplaced belief that they have birth rights to leadership positions and to deployment. Xa kufike ixesha lokuba uthunywe yi ANC, uzothunywa linda ngomonde. Xa unikwe unxanduva, lukhulele ulwenze ngendzondelelo, intembeko ne ntobeko. Uyazi ukuba awenzeli wena, wenzela abantu ababeke ithemba labo lobomi obungcono kwi ANC.
Comrades, people are going to age very young with this tendency of thinking they have birth rights to leadership positions and deployment in the ANC. We must learn from the generation of Comrade Barry Makhan. Comrade Barry had a shot stint as a councillor in the early days of the BCM council, he could have been in the Provincial EXCO and he could have been an MPL or MP, but the ANC felt we needed capable cadres to lead the economic transformation agenda in the business sector and identified him as the right cadre for that task. The success of his businesses, vindicates the strategic decision that was made by leaders of the ANC at the dawn of our democracy. This proves again that the ANC has good policies, but is let down by members and leaders who fail to fully implement its policies.
Comrade Barry has left an indelible mark of black excellence in the business sector. When the 54th National Conference of the ANC said we must implement Radical Economic Transformation, it meant we must produce more Barry Makhans at a rapid rate to change economic ownership patterns in the country.
The history we are coming from of exclusion for the black majority means our focus as government must be on giving previously disadvantaged people more opportunities in our procurement regime. I have stated clearly to leaders in the provincial administration and in local government that this is non-negotiable. I have told them they must not be deterred by reports of corruption that are often associated with the awarding of contracts to black owned firms.
Black Owned firms have the capacity and skills to deliver quality work. Barry Makhan proved it on numerous times in his company. In the fight against Covid-19, the provincial government awarded contracts to the value of R590 million for the refurbishment of healthcare facilities and those contracts were awarded to black owned companies and they did phenomenal quality work. Where things go wrong is when officials in municipalities and provincial government department collude to influence who gets contracts to share profits. That is what is called corruption and it is a criminal offence which the judiciary deals with through its own processes.
I don’t remember Comrade Barry’s name in news headlines for corruption related matters. He was an ethical and professional businessmen who never cut corners to succeed in the business world. Xa engayifumenanga I contract ebeyiyeka ihambe u Comrade Barry. Ebengalwi kucace ukuba makume yonke into yorhulumento. He is a role model that young entrepreneurs should learn from and emulate.
Comrade Barry carried his values of sacrifice and selflessness to the broader community of Buffalo City Metro. He did a lot of philanthropic work in the area to fight poverty and unemployment. His heart has stopped beating, but the legacy of his good deeds will speak for him for generations to come.
Sithi hamba kahle Comrade Barry. Uyisebenzele I African National Congress , abantu base Eastern Cape ne South Africa ngokubanzi. Usishiye singenasikrokro. Singaba sikudlela indlala ukuba sinokuthi ubungekagqibi ukusebenzela umbutho.
In honor of Cde Barry , in the year of Charlotte Maxeke, Cdes lets all respond to a clarion call made by ANC that as members of ANC and all South Africans we must work hard to defeat covid 19 and work hard to reconstruct our economy for its full recovery . Covid 19 remains a threat as we observe resurgence though at a sluggish rate , let us continue respect it by observing regulations.
Rest in peace Comrade Barry. Till we meet again.
Thank you.
