Speakers at the memorial service of ANC stalwart and former Eastern Cape premier Reverend Makhenkesi Stofile took the opportunity to speak out strongly against factionalism and divisions within the ruling ANC.
Hundreds of those in attendance – including politicians, academics, religious leaders and Stofile’s family – heard speaker after speaker relayed how “disappointed and embarrassed” Stofile was about how the ANC had changed “for the worse” .
Stofile, who died of diabetes and pancreatic cancer at his Alice home on August 15, was remembered and honoured at a special official memorial service organised by the provincial government at the East London Christian Centre.
First to fire a verbal salvo was outspoken ANC leader and Finance Deputy Minister Mcebisi Jonas, who said Stofile died at a time when leaders of his calibre were needed most.
Speaking on behalf of Stofile’s family, Jonas said the former sports minister and South African ambassador in Germany died a man disappointed by ongoing fighting in the continent’s oldest liberation movement.
“He passed at the wrong time in the sense of where we are at as a revolutionary movement. More than ever, we need him, that exceptional and selfless leader, to rescue our glorious movement from where it has gone astray. There can be no denying that our country is at a crossroads on many fronts, while many of the gains we have fought for over many decades are at risk,” Jonas said.
He said Stofile was a critical thinker who never accepted the obvious.
“In the recent past he confided in many of us his frustration that our revolution has lost its way.
“In bidding farewell to this true revolutionary, it is important to reflect on what he stood for, and how we can infuse these values back into the movement.”
Jonas said Stofile had always defended the tripartite alliance.
“He was saddened by the state of affairs in Cosatu and the current unity of the alliance,” said Jonas.
“He was deeply disappointed with the recent phenomenon of the politics of individuals, which he referred to as the cult of personality.”
ANC stalwart Charles Nqakula told the audience how Stofile had recently said to him that “many of us who know where the ANC comes from, we are dying one by one because of the pain caused by troubles currently befalling our organisation”.
“Despite how we are now treated, the path we have travelled for this liberation is known and was taught to us by the ANC.
“Even if we are sidelined today, history knows what people like Stofile have done for this liberation,” an emotional Nqakula said.
South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee president Gideon Sam and provincial house of traditional leaders’ chair Nkosi Ngangomhlaba Matanzima also took a swipe at the ruling party.
Provincial ANC integrity committee chair Professor Mayatula said: “Our ANC is in tatters and its being killed by no one but ourselves.
“This is because we are failing to deal with the challenges of our times,” Mayatula said.
Premier Phumulo Masualle, SACP national deputy chair and Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi, Bhisho legislature deputy speaker Bulelwa Tunyiswa and representatives from the University of Fort Hare, where Stofile was recently appointed chancellor, also delivered messages during the sombre memorial. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
Stofile died ‘saddened by today’s ANC’
Hundreds of those in attendance – including politicians, academics, religious leaders and Stofile’s family – heard speaker after speaker relayed how “disappointed and embarrassed” Stofile was about how the ANC had changed “for the worse” .
Stofile, who died of diabetes and pancreatic cancer at his Alice home on August 15, was remembered and honoured at a special official memorial service organised by the provincial government at the East London Christian Centre.
First to fire a verbal salvo was outspoken ANC leader and Finance Deputy Minister Mcebisi Jonas, who said Stofile died at a time when leaders of his calibre were needed most.
Speaking on behalf of Stofile’s family, Jonas said the former sports minister and South African ambassador in Germany died a man disappointed by ongoing fighting in the continent’s oldest liberation movement.
“He passed at the wrong time in the sense of where we are at as a revolutionary movement. More than ever, we need him, that exceptional and selfless leader, to rescue our glorious movement from where it has gone astray. There can be no denying that our country is at a crossroads on many fronts, while many of the gains we have fought for over many decades are at risk,” Jonas said.
He said Stofile was a critical thinker who never accepted the obvious.
“In the recent past he confided in many of us his frustration that our revolution has lost its way.
“In bidding farewell to this true revolutionary, it is important to reflect on what he stood for, and how we can infuse these values back into the movement.”
Jonas said Stofile had always defended the tripartite alliance.
“He was saddened by the state of affairs in Cosatu and the current unity of the alliance,” said Jonas.
“He was deeply disappointed with the recent phenomenon of the politics of individuals, which he referred to as the cult of personality.”
ANC stalwart Charles Nqakula told the audience how Stofile had recently said to him that “many of us who know where the ANC comes from, we are dying one by one because of the pain caused by troubles currently befalling our organisation”.
“Despite how we are now treated, the path we have travelled for this liberation is known and was taught to us by the ANC.
“Even if we are sidelined today, history knows what people like Stofile have done for this liberation,” an emotional Nqakula said.
South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee president Gideon Sam and provincial house of traditional leaders’ chair Nkosi Ngangomhlaba Matanzima also took a swipe at the ruling party.
Provincial ANC integrity committee chair Professor Mayatula said: “Our ANC is in tatters and its being killed by no one but ourselves.
“This is because we are failing to deal with the challenges of our times,” Mayatula said.
Premier Phumulo Masualle, SACP national deputy chair and Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi, Bhisho legislature deputy speaker Bulelwa Tunyiswa and representatives from the University of Fort Hare, where Stofile was recently appointed chancellor, also delivered messages during the sombre memorial. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
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