ZWELAKHE SISULU - STRUGGLE JOURNALIST EXTRA-ORDINAIRE

Hambe Kahle Comrade Zwelakhe By Subry Govender My wife, Thyna, and I were driving on the N3 from Durban to Johannesburg early on Thursday, October 4 when we began recalling all the colleagues who were struggle journalists of outstanding qualities in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. We recalled the names of Thami Mazwai, Joe Thloloe, Charles Nqakula, Philip Mthimkulu, Rashid Seria, Mathatha Tseudu Zuby Mayet, Zubeida Jaffer, and many others whose names we had forgotten. But then Thyna reminded me that we forgot about Zwelike Sisulu. I told her that it was such a great tragedy that those of us who had used our profession to promote the liberation struggles in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s rarely kept in touch with one another and it was many years ago that we actually had met and talked about our early days. I remember that it was about six or seven years ago, while I was still with the SABC, that all the people I had mentioned, except Zubeida Jaffer and Zwelike, had the opportunity of meeting in Sandton, Johannesburg when SANEF had recognised us for our work during the struggle years. Zwelike, who was also given an award, was unable to attend because of work commitments. But I had the opportunity of talking to Zwelike when he chaired a commission hearing into our colleague and news head at the SABC, Snuki Zikalala, a few years ago. He mentioned that it was a great pity that we don't meet and also don't keep in touch. He gave me his calling card and said we should keep in touch. But due to our work commitments, we rarely kept in touch. After Thyna and I arrived in Johannesburg, I was shocked to learn when I heard on SAFM that our dear struggle journalist comrade, Zwelike, had passed away early on Thursday, October 4. I don't know what it was but it must have been some preminition to talk about Zwelike on the day he passed away. Zwelike has been a struggle comrade extra-ordinaire. He arrived on the scene after the Soweto uprisings in June 1976, when we got together and launched the Union of Black Journalists(UBJ). But barely a year later, the UBJ was banned along with dozens of other black consciousness organisations and some church groups with the aim of crushing us. But we were determined as ever and organised a meeting in Port Elizabeth for the launch of another organisation to replace the UBJ. Zwelike was one of the leaders. But the apartheid regime had other ideas and banned us from meeting in Port Elizabeth. This did not deter us at all. We got around this ban by informing our colleagues that the venue had been changed to Verulam and the same weekend we managed to get all our people there for the launch of the Media Workers Association of SA(MWASA). We held our meeting despite the security police keeping a watch at the venue. It was Charles Nqakula who took over the leadership and after he was banned it fell on the shoulders of Zwelike. Despite the odds against us we managed to operate and held several meetings with journalists around the country. The ever fearful apartheid regime once again carried out a series of arrests, detentions and bannings in the early 1980s. Most of us - Zwelike, Joe, Philip, Zuby, this correspondent and others were banned and house-arrested. Zwelike and Joe detained for more than two years each as well. During the banning period we were warned that the security police would be keeping a watch on us but the ever resourceful Zwelike arranged for us to meet at a secret venue in Johannesburg. It was here we discussed the establishment of alternative newspapers and that's how the New Nation was born in Johannesburg under the editorship of Zwelike; the Call in Cape Town under the editorship of Rashid; and Ukusa in Durban under my editorship. There were also other alternative publications around the country. Zwelike and this correspondent discussed how we should work together to promote the overthrow of racist minority regime through our work. We secretly had the support of the ANC in exile. The New Nation became a formidable title under Zwelike, while Ukuza and others fell under the constant harrassment of the security police. Zwelike was also regularly detained and harrassed by the regime's secret police while editing the New Nation. Despite the long periods of detentions, harrassment, and bannings, Zwelike kept alive the fires of freedom and once again came to the fore in the early 1990s when he was appointed the first black CEO of the SABC. He only remained there for a few years before embarking on a business career.