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A fine revolutionary, upright, a true servant – Mabuza remembers Skweyiya

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Former defence minister Charles Nqakula holds the programme during the memorial service of Dr Zola Skweyiya. Picture: Tebogo Letsie
Former defence minister Charles Nqakula holds the programme during the memorial service of Dr Zola Skweyiya. Picture: Tebogo Letsie

A deep sense of social justice, care and love of his people – this was the driving force behind the “extraordinary feats” performed by Dr Zola Skweyiya, Deputy President David Mabuza said at the stalwart’s memorial service in Tshwane on Wednesday.

The service at the Pretoria Showgrounds was attended by his wife Thuthukile Skweyiya and their children, former president Thabo Mbeki and ANC veterans Charles Nqakula, Bulelani Ngcuka, Nomvula Mokonyane, Jeff Radebe, Zweli Mkhize, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Andrew Mlangeni and Mavuso Msimang.

Mabuza said it was Skweyiya’s deep hatred for racial oppression and injustice that inspired his life-long activism.

“With his passing, our country has lost a fine revolutionary, an upright human being and a true servant of the people.”

Mabuza called to mind struggle icon Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, who died on April 2, and whose funeral was held on Saturday.

“Hardly a week later we are gathering to pay our respects to another giant of our struggle ... We are cognisant of the reality that this period marks a critical turning point in our political history. It is time when we are losing the generation of outstanding leaders that made an immense contribution to our freedom,” said Mabuza.

He urged South Africans to find comfort in Skweyiya’s legacy, which “all of us” can emulate.

READ: Zola Skweyiya: An honourable, gentle politician

Mabuza described him as “a deep thinker, and very rational person, and yet disciplined in his own conduct, and in understanding the ANC and its reputation”.

He was humble yet steadfast in his principles, he said.

“In valuing integrity, truth and selflessness, he became an embodiment of servant leadership and a shining light for the destitute and marginalised of our country and the world. Trained as a lawyer, he understood the power of law as an instrument of effecting political change and of advancing justice and equality. As a Cabinet minister, his work was truly pioneering.”

Skweyiya served as minister of the public service and administration from 1994 to 1999 and later served as minister of social development before retiring as a member of Parliament in 2009.

Within the same year, he was appointed high commissioner to the United Kingdom and Ireland.

“He succeeded in serving our nation with distinction because his love for the people was authentic. His enthusiasm for their dreams and aspirations was unsurpassed,” said Mabuza.

“Because of his passion for life and deep love for his people, he became a revolutionary cadre par excellence. He epitomised a cadre of unquestionable loyalty and dedication to his people.”

During the struggle years, Skweyiya led the ANC efforts at establishing a culture of human rights, maintenance of the rule of law even within the ANC camps, and ultimately an investigation was undertaken in order to root out any violations within the ANC.

“This very sensitive task was handled by Comrade Zola Skweyiya with dignity and understanding.

He was known to be the one who investigated all complaints. Later he was entrusted with the duty to establish the ANC’s own commission on the Constitution and prepare the ANC to participate in the negotiations that were then looming,” said Mabuza.

“Upon his return to South Africa in 1990, he played a pivotal role in the negotiations for a democratic South Africa ... As our first democratic public service and administration minister, he championed the course for a developmental state.”

It was under Skweyiya that the ANC began reshaping public service and administration into a single one that served all South Africans with dignity.

Mabuza said that Skweyiya also spearheaded the active recruitment of black women to senior positions – when the ANC came into power, there was only one female chief director in the whole of the public service.

ANC veterans Nomvula Mokonyane, Jeff Radebe, Zweli Mkhize, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Andrew Mlangeni attend the memorial service for Zola Skweyiya. Picture: Tebogo Letsie
Deputy President David Mabuza sits next to the family of Dr Zola Skweyiya during the ANC veteran’s memorial service. Picture: Tebogo Letsie
The official memorial service for Zola Skweyiya was held in Tshwane. Picture: Tebogo Letsie
Mavuso Msimang, representing the veterans, spoke at the memorial service of Zola Skweyiya, Picture: Tebogo Letsie/City Press

He also described Skweyiya’s efforts to build a united, non-racial, efficient, ethical public service.

“He remained motivated by the ideals of inclusion and tolerance. That is why, there were no witch-hunts and purging of skilled, experienced personnel.

“Later, as minister of social development, his concern for the poor and the downtrodden was evident. He worked tirelessly to ensure that the dignity of recipients of social support from the state was respected and honoured.”

Skweyiya may have officially retired from politics, but he remained dedicated to the governing party, and was one of the “ANC stalwarts” who called for former president Jacob Zuma to step down.

Mabuza believed Skweyiya would have been “relieved” by the outcomes of the party’s elective conference in December – which saw Cyril Ramaphosa elected to the presidency of the ANC.

“At the sunset of his life, with such a stand, he lamented that we the leaders of his beloved movement had become hostile. He despised the purging of comrades by dominant factions. And he bemoaned gate-keeping, disunity, and corruption,” said Mabuza.

“Together with other veterans, a door was shut for him to openly engage on issues of concern at the time. As the leadership, our preoccupation with our own sense of security, rendered him and other veterans invisible ... As we mourn his passing, we wish to assure his spirit and the entirety of the veterans of the ANC that we regret some of the omissions we have committed in the service of our people.

“We want to assure his spirit that the organisation he so loved and dedicated his entire adult life to, is on an irreversible path of renewal as the true and honest servant of the people.”

Things you didn’t know about Skweyiya
. Skweyiya was born on April 14 1942 in Simonstown.

. His doctorate was in law – obtained in 1978 in the then German Democratic Republic.

Skweyiya joined the ANC at the age of 14.

He was a product of the Eastern Cape’s famous Lovedale college, which Mabuza described as a “historic mission school that became an influential centre for education in South Africa ... the heartbeat of political thought leadership and activism and a hotbed of the politics of resistance. Its alumni include Chris Hani, former President Thabo Mbeki and Pallo Jordan.

He pursued his tertiary education at the University College of Fort Hare, which was another centre of intellectual, academic and political life in South Africa.

In the turbulent 60s, Skweyiya left the country and helped established the external mission of the ANC and Umkhonto weSizwe.

Skweyiya was the ANC’s chief representative to the Organisation of African Unity in Addis Ababa, which is where he honed his diplomatic skills.

After many years in Addis Ababa, the ANC appointed him to head the legal and constitutional department of the ANC based in Lusaka.

Skweyiya was first elected to Parliament in 1994, and that year took up the title of minister of public service and administration.

He became minister of social development in 1999.

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