The remains of Umkhonto WeSizwe (MK) military veteran Zwelinzima Edward Dladla, a dedicated teacher who received a citation from the New York City council for his role in the anti-apartheid struggle, will be buried in Mdantsane tomorrow.
Dladla, affectionately known as Eddie or Dzili, was a student at Fort Hare University in 1963 when he joined MK and a year later left the country to go into exile in Botswana.
After undergoing military training, the ANC decided to send some of its young soldiers abroad and Dladla was sent to the United States to further his studies at Adelphi University in Garden City, New York.
After getting his junior degree, he did his master’s at the University of Massachusetts in Boston, majoring in English.
Dladla taught at several US schools in the late 1960s while doing work for the ANC Mission to the United Nations in New York.
When the Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College was built in Tanzania to accommodate students after the June 16 1976 Soweto uprisings, the ANC recalled all qualified teachers, including Dladla, to teach at the college as volunteers.
It was while in Morogoro, Tanzania, that Dlodlo met and married colleague Carol Storch.
He suffered a bout of cerebral malaria that left him partly paralysed and the couple returned to the US.
In June 2013, 7th District Council member of Manhattan Robert Jackson declared Dladla “an outstanding citizen, one worthy the esteem of our great city”.
The event was to celebrate the courage of the heroes of the June 16 Soweto uprisings.
Jackson wrote: “Dladla dedicated his entire adult life to the struggle for equality and justice in South Africa, even living in exile to escape persecution, and continued his work from outside SA’s borders and serving the ANC mission to the UN, doing outreach to American support groups.”
After the unbanning of political parties all exiles were free to return home to South Africa, and Dladla and his wife paid their first visit to the country in 1992.
He died in March this year, and was cremated in New York.
“His wife of over 40 years, Carol, sent us the ashes.
“We decided to bury his remains this week. We remember him as a very dedicated teacher,” said Nceba.
Several senior leaders including Buffalo City mayor Alfred Mtsi and his deputy Xola Pakati are expected to attend the service at Holy Cross Anglican Church in Mdantsane.
Dladla is survived by his wife, sister Vuyiswa and daughter Nonkululeko.
Remains of MK veteran Dladla sent back from US for burial
Dladla, affectionately known as Eddie or Dzili, was a student at Fort Hare University in 1963 when he joined MK and a year later left the country to go into exile in Botswana.
After undergoing military training, the ANC decided to send some of its young soldiers abroad and Dladla was sent to the United States to further his studies at Adelphi University in Garden City, New York.
After getting his junior degree, he did his master’s at the University of Massachusetts in Boston, majoring in English.
Dladla taught at several US schools in the late 1960s while doing work for the ANC Mission to the United Nations in New York.
When the Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College was built in Tanzania to accommodate students after the June 16 1976 Soweto uprisings, the ANC recalled all qualified teachers, including Dladla, to teach at the college as volunteers.
It was while in Morogoro, Tanzania, that Dlodlo met and married colleague Carol Storch.
He suffered a bout of cerebral malaria that left him partly paralysed and the couple returned to the US.
In June 2013, 7th District Council member of Manhattan Robert Jackson declared Dladla “an outstanding citizen, one worthy the esteem of our great city”.
The event was to celebrate the courage of the heroes of the June 16 Soweto uprisings.
Jackson wrote: “Dladla dedicated his entire adult life to the struggle for equality and justice in South Africa, even living in exile to escape persecution, and continued his work from outside SA’s borders and serving the ANC mission to the UN, doing outreach to American support groups.”
After the unbanning of political parties all exiles were free to return home to South Africa, and Dladla and his wife paid their first visit to the country in 1992.
He died in March this year, and was cremated in New York.
“His wife of over 40 years, Carol, sent us the ashes.
“We decided to bury his remains this week. We remember him as a very dedicated teacher,” said Nceba.
Several senior leaders including Buffalo City mayor Alfred Mtsi and his deputy Xola Pakati are expected to attend the service at Holy Cross Anglican Church in Mdantsane.
Dladla is survived by his wife, sister Vuyiswa and daughter Nonkululeko.
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