Archie Sibeko, the late anti-apartheid activist who hails from Alice, was a loving and caring husband, father, grandfather and a teacher to his family.
This was said at the East London Airport by his last-born daughter, Shuma Sibeko yesterday, when she arrived from the UK with Sibeko’s remains.
She said “Zola Zembe”, as Sibeko was known underground during apartheid, talked to his children a lot about the struggle and, in particular, his days in the ANC.
Sibeko had five children. Three of them, Siphiwo, Nomonde and Shuma, are still alive. but Vuyo and Yoli have died.
Shuma described the journey of visiting their father when he was sick and unable to respond to them to his death and cremation and travelling with his remains to SA as emotionally draining.
“We were there when his life was celebrated and we were able to see him though he could not respond. It was not an easy journey. However, our brother Siphiwo was not able to see him,” she said.
The event to mark his arrival back home in the Eastern Cape was well attended, and included former national director of the National Prosecuting Authority Vusi Pikoli, ANC provincial deputy secretary and human settlements MEC Helen Sauls-August and the MEC of sport, recreational, arts and culture MEC – and an ANC NEC member – Pemmy Majodina joined the welcoming delegation.
The MEC was about to jet off to watch Zolani Tete fight in Northern Ireland.
Sibeko said their father apologised for leaving them, “but he was not apologetic about joining the struggle and for fighting the system. That makes us proud of him. As children we had to understand. We also knew that the benefits of the struggle were also for us as part of the nation”. Sibeko said she remembered her political debates with her father who, she said, believed she was extreme left. “He said he would support me as long as I was not reactionary,” she said.
Eastern Cape provincial legislature speaker Noxolo Kiviet, finance MEC Sakhumzi Somyo and ANC provincial chairman Oscar Mabuyane also attended. Mabuyane expressed the gratitude of the ANC in the province to the family for allowing them to welcome the remains and speak at the ceremony.
“Had we not done things incorrectly in the past couple of years we would not be talking of the new dawn today. We would be advancing the programme of the ANC for better lives. But we tolerated wrongdoing for too long,” he said.
He said the party welcomed Sibeko’s remains to the home of legends. “In your memory we must thrive for a better national democratic revolution. In your memory we must not abuse the state power privileges that we have as members of the ANC”. Mabuyane called for revolutionary discipline, adding Sibeko fought for the ANC so it could be the hope of the people.
Sibeko, who was born on March 3 1928, will be buried in his Kwezana village home in Alice tomorrow. — zolilem@tisoblackstar.co.za