ROY RADHAKRISHNAN PADAYCHIE WAS ANOTHER LEADER WHO WORKED IN THE NATAL INDIAN CONGRESS WITH THE RECENTLY LATE MEWA RAMGOBIN IN THE STRUGGLES FOR THE CREATION OF A NON-RACIAL AND DEMOCRATIC AFRICA.

IN THIS RADIO FEATURE, THE LATE GOVERNMENT MINISTER, WHO PASSED ON DURING A GOVERNMENT MISSION IN KENYA ON MAY 4 2012, TOLD SUBRY GOVENDER IN AN INTERVIEW IN 2008 THAT ALL SOUTH AFRICANS MUST WORK TOGETHER TO BRING ABOUT SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF ALL PEOPLE. BY SUBRY GOVENDER Mr Roy Padaychie, a descendant of indentured labourers, also experienced the oppression of the former white regime during the 28 years of his involvement in the struggles prior to the creation of our new non-racial and democratic South Africa in 1994. During the nearly three decades of his involvement, Padaychie became involved in the revival of the Natal Indian Congress, and later in organisations such as the Chatsworth Housing Action Committee, the United Democratic Front, the Release Mandela Committee, the Anti-South African Indian Council Committee and finally the ANC. After his schooling, he studied at the University of Durban-Westville where he joined activists like Pravin Gordhan, Zac Yacoob, Yunus Mahomed and others, to confront the apartheid state. Despite his involvement in student politics, he managed to complete his Bachelor of Science degree and later, after finding work at the Shell Company, he was granted a scholarship to study for his Masters at the University of London. Here he further heightened his anti-apartheid struggles and worked closely with leaders of the calibre of Dr Yusuf Dadoo, Aziz Pahad, Frene Ginwala, Oliver Tambo, the president of the ANC at that time, and many others. After his return he continued with his anti-apartheid work, especially in Chatsworth, and established a non-government organisation to foster early childhood education. After the ANC was unbanned in 1990 and Nelson Mandela was released from prison, Padaychie joined other activists in promoting the ANC and establishing branches all over the place. He was inducted into the new non-racial Government when he was appointed Deputy Minister of Communications in 2004 by former President Thabo Mbeki. He was later appointed Deputy Minister of Public Service and Administration in 2009 by President Jacob Zuma. In 2010 he was appointed Minister of Communications and in 2011 he was appointed to the position of Minister of Public Service and Administration. Padaychie is the fourth leader I have included in this radio feature series to archive those who had made enormous contributions during the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s to bring about the free South Africa we enjoy today. The others so far I have listed are Mewa Ramgobin, Professor Jerry Coovadia, and George Sewpersadh.

TRIBUTE TO GEORGE SEWPERSADH – ONE OF THE COMRADES OF MEWA RAMGOBIN WHO PASSED ON RECENTLY

One of the leaders who worked closely with Mewalall Ramgobin, who passed on Oct 17 2016 and whose official funeral was held in Verulam on Sunday, Oct 23 2016, was former Natal Indian Congress and United Democratic Front leader, George Sewpersadh. Sewpersadh, who passed on nine years ago at the age of 71, was a close associate of Ramgobin and other progressive leaders. On his passing on May 18 2007, I compiled this radio feature on the life of Sew, as we referred to him.

PROTEST DEMONSTRATIONS IN SOLDIARITY WITH MINISTER PRAVIN GORDHAN TO BE HELD AT GUGU DLAMINI PARK (NEAR THE WORKSHOP COMPLEX) IN DURBAN ON WEDENSDAY BETWEEN 8AM AND 12 NOON

(SIMILAR DEMONSTRATIONS TO BE HELD IN PRETORIA AND OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY)

(Minister Pravin Gordhan with former judge, Thumba Pillay, at a function in Durban a few months ago) By Subry Govender

(ACTIVISTS OF THE ACTIVE CITIZENS MOVEMENT WHO HAVE ORGANISED THE PROTEST DEMONSTRATION IN SUPPORT OF MINISTER PRAVIN GORDHAN) Thousands of people, including hundreds of former political activists and struggle stalwarts, will gather at the Gugu Dlaimini Park, near the Workshop, in Durban on Wednesday, November 2 to lend their solidarity for Finance Minister, Pravin Gordhan. The event, organised by the Active Citizens Movement (ACM), will take place between 8am and 12 noon. Minister Gordhan has been asked to appear in the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court on charges of fraud and an alternative of theft. He is accused of approving the early retirement and subsequent re-employment of former South African Revenue Service (SARS) Deputy Commissioner, Ivan Pillay. He will appear in court along with Pillay and former SARS Commissioner, Oupa Magashula. The Durban solidarity gathering will be just one of several organised around the country. Similar protest demonstrations will be held in Pretoria, Johanesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, Bloemfontein and other parts of the country.

(Yousuf Vawda with colleagues of the Active Citizens Movement) Mr Yousuf Vawda, an official of the ACM, said the Durban solidarity gathering was aimed at demonstrating that most South Africans stood solidly for justice and equality before the law. “The event will go ahead, even if charges are withdrawn,” said Vawda. The charges against Minister Gordhan has drawn widespread debate with many people, especially former struggle activists and stalwarts, expressing their concerns about the current political implosion among members of the ruling elite. One hundred and one (101) former struggle stalwarts have said they are deeply concerned about the state of affairs in the ruling ANC and the country. They have submitted a memorandum to the ANC calling on the leaders to reclaim the public trust and to spend time on moral introspection. They said the charges against Minister Gordhan were without foundation and showed a misuse of stage agencies.

(Ahmed Kathrada)

(Andrew Mlangeni)

(Frene Ginwala)

(Frank Chikane)

(Popo Molefe)

(Trevor Manuel) Among those who signed the memorandum, include Ahmed Kathrada, Andrew Mlangeni, Frank Chikane, Popo Molefe, Trevor Manuel and Frene Ginwala.

(Prof Ben Turok) CURRENT STATUS QUO IS SINKING THE SHIP Meanwhile, another ANC Veteran, Professor Ben Turok, has called on President Jacob Zuma to step down for the sake of the party. He warned that if things don’t change in the ANC, the party would continue to lose support. “I would like to see President Zuma step down and for an interim president to be appointed,” he said. “Someone like former President, Kgalema Motlanthe, or Deputy President, Cyril Ramaphosa, could act in the interim position. The crisis is so deep that we need interim measures. “We must move away from the present status quo because the present status quo is sinking the ship.”

In addition to these stalwarts, others who have also expressed their concerns about the current state of affairs include former activist and leaders of the United Democratic Front (UDF), Professor Jerry Coovadia, Judge Thumba Pillay, former Constitutional Court Judge Zac Yacoob, Dr Farouk Meer and Paul Devadas David. Two organisations, the Helen Suzman Foundation and Freedom Under Law have challenged the NPA’s decision to charge Minister Gordhan without sufficient and without conducting the investigations properly. The Helen Suzman Foundation filed an affidavit in the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday (Oct 26 2016). – ends (subrygovender@gmail.com Oct 28 2016)

Podcast Template 2 Oct 26 2016

Former struggle stalwart and one of the country's foremost health academics - Professor Jerry Coovadia - makes known his candid views on the state of affairs in South Africa in an interview in September 2008

BY SUBRY GOVENDER In September 2008, I had embarked on a programme to interview former struggle stalwarts about their concerns with the failure of the new non-racial and democratic government to tackle issues such as poverty, unemployment, violent crime, social and economic marginalisation of the majority of the people and political greed. It was a period when another struggle veteran, Professor Fatima, who is now late, had expressed her disappointment with the manner in which the post-apartheid government was failing in its duties to unite all the people in the struggles against growing social and economic divide among the people. One of the first former struggle stalwarts I spoke to was Professor Hoosen Jerry Coovadia, who was the country’s foremost health academics and a former well-known struggle stalwart. Professor Coovadia was forthright in his views about the social, economic and political prevalent in 2008. His views are still prevalent today, eight years later, with acute lack of political leadership, widespread political divisions within the ruling ANC, high rate of fraud and corruption, runaway violent crime, student uprisings at universities for the scrapping of fees, lack of service delivery by officials at national, provincial and local government, growing unemployment, poverty, inequality and lack of growth in the economy. This is the radio feature I had compiled in 2008 after speaking to Professor Coovadia. The sound creation and mix by Salma Patel.

"SOUTH AFRICA IS POORER WITH THE DEPARTURE OF LEADERS OF THE CALIBRE OF MEWA RAMGOBIN.” ‘WE MUST FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF MEWA RAMGOBIN TO PROMOTE UNITY, NON-RACIALISM, FREEDOM FROM POVERTY, HUNGER AND MARGINALISATION.”

HUNDREDS OF ANTI-APARTHEID ACTIVISTS AND VETERAN STRUGGLE STALWARTS PAY TRIBUTE TO MEWALALL RAMGOBIN

BY SUBRY GOVENDER

Hundreds of anti-apartheid activists and veteran struggle stalwarts paid their last tributes to struggle leader and stalwart, Mewalal Ramgobin, at his funeral held at the Verulam Community Centre, north of Durban, in South Africa on Sunday, Oct 23. Ramgobin, who died at the age of 84 on Monday, Oct 17, was given an official provincial funeral by the South African Government. Ramgobin was honoured for playing a major and significant role in South Africa’s struggles from white minority rule to the non-racial and democratic society from the early 1940s to the 1990s.

He was honoured for initiating the campaigns for the release of Nelson Mandela and other political leaders in 1971, the promotion of the values and principles of Mahatma Gandhi at Gandhi’s Phoenix Settlement Trust, north of Durban, the revival of the Natal Indian Congress, the establishment of the UDF in August 1983, the promotion of the struggles to international levels by occupying the British Consulate for several months in 1983, isolating apartheid opportunists and for playing a major role during the negotiations process from the early 1990s to 1994 when the new democratic order was established.

For his involvement in the struggles, Ramgobin was hounded, harassed, targeted with a parcel bomb, and banned and house-arrested for nearly 20 years from 1970 to 1990. He was also detained and charged with High Treason in 1985. The struggle stalwarts, who arrived in their numbers to pay their tributes to Ramgobin, included leaders of the calibre of Paul Devadas David, Paddy Kearney, former Director of the Diakonia Council of Churches, Ms Linda Zama, Dr Farouk Meer, Thumba Pillay, Dr Jerry Coovadia, Dr Michael Sutcliffe and Siva Naidoo. They all worked with Ramgobin during the struggles against apartheid and minority rule since the 1940s to the early 1990s. Paddy Kearney was one the leaders who delivered a religious sermon on the life of Ramgobin.

YOUNG ACTIVISTS OF THE 1970S AND 1980S Some of the young activists of the 1970s and 1980s who also paid their respects included Manick Kistan, Anand Guraya, Christy Subrayen, and Chocks Avanasigan. These Verulam activists used to be in and out of Ramgobin’s home in Everest Heights, Verulam, when the struggles against the apartheid regime began gaining momentum in the 1980s. They used to work with Ramgobin’s sons, Kush and Kidar. Kush was mysteriously murdered in the mid-1980s and most people claimed it was the work of apartheid security agents. His killers are still to be tracked down and brought to justice. The South African Government Ministers, Deputy Ministers, MPs, provincial government leaders and local councillors who attended the ceremony included Finance Minister, Pravin Gordhan; ANC Chief Whip Jackson Mthembu, Lou Landers, Yunus Carrim, Narend Singh, MEC Ravi Pillay, MEC and ANC KZN leader, Sihle Zikhalala; and Ethekwini (Durban) Mayor, Ms Zandile Gumede. The Deputy High Commissioner of India in Pretoria and the Indian Consul General in Durban also attended the service. Former political activist and MEC, Ms Maggie Govender, was the master of ceremonies.

PAUL DEVADAS DAVID Paul David, who was one of the speakers at the service, spoke about his involvement with Ramgobin in the Natal Indian Congress, community and social organisations, United Democratic Front and finally during the early days of the transition to the new South Africa. MEWA COMMITTED TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND FREEDOM "I clearly recall the freedom of speech he promoted not only among activists but also within his own children," Mr David said. David also recalled the time he and four other struggle leaders sought refuge at the British Consulate in Durban in 1983 while they were being hounded by the then apartheid security police. The other four leaders were Billy Nair, M J Naidoo, George Sewpersadh, and Archie Gumede. "It was Mewa who led us to the British Consulate because he had established relations with all the foreign consulates during the broad struggles against apartheid. "He told the British Consulate: 'we have come to visit you'. But the visit lasted several months. During this period Mewa put up with all the inconveniences, including sleeping on the floor and the cockroaches." "I had no regrets being associated with Mewa in the struggles for social, political and economic freedom. But today I hope that those who are now in Government will follow the legacy of Mewa to bring about peace, justice, freedom, social and economic equality and transformation of the country for the vast majority of the people who are still living in deprivation."

PRAVIN GORDHAN

Finance Minister, Pravin Gordhan, spoke about the role that Ramgobin, among other things, played in providing a sanctuary for student activists to develop at the Phoenix Settlement Trust in the early 1970s. Gordhan said Ramgobin with other activists revived the Natal Indian Congress to promote the ideals of the Congress movement at a time when the ANC, the South African Communist Party and other progressive organisations were banned and were forced to operate at underground levels. "He was never short of ideas in order to bring about a truly non-racial and democratic society despite the hardships and differences of opinion at that time," he said. "His life was a true legacy to the freedom struggles and a constant search for social justice and non-racialism. His life is a political education for all of us."

NATAL INDIAN CONGRESS PLAYED A VITAL ROLE WHEN THE ANC WAS BANNED

The Treasurer General of the ruling ANC, Dr Zweli Mkhize, expressed the apologies of other ANC leaders who were unable to attend because of an Alliance summit. Dr Mkhize also recalled his association with Ramgobin during the early days of the struggles in the 1970s and 1980s and paid tribute to Ramgobin and other leaders who had the courage to revive the Natal Indian Congress in the early 1970s. "The NIC", he said, "played a vital role in filling the vacuum at a time when the ANC was banned".

‘WE MUST FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF MEWA RAMGOBIN TO PROMOTE UNITY, NON-RACIALISM, FREEDOM FROM POVERTY, HUNGER AND MARGINALISATION.” "Mewa, together with R. Ramesar, M J Naidoo, Rabbi Bugwandeen, Paul David, George Sewpersadh, gave us the much-needed support at that time. They worked with people like Archie Gumede and Griffith Mxenge. "Mewa and his fellow colleagues gave us direction in our struggles for a truly non-racial and democratic South Africa. "Mewa encouraged a lot of us and also activists in Umlazi, KwaMashu and other areas. He was true to the promotion of peace, unity, non-racialism and democracy." Dr Mkhize said it was now up to South Africans to follow in the footsteps of Ramgobin to promote unity, a non-racial society, and social and economic equality for all people. He took a swipe at people who joined the ANC to promote their own interests at the expense of the poor and marginalised majority. "We must isolate those people who join the ANC to participate in fraud and corruption and to enrich themselves. We must ensure that South Africa is a better country for all people.

‘HIS LIFE IS A LESSON FOR ALL OF US’

"South Africa is poorer with the departure of leaders of the calibre of Mewa. But we will not forget him because his life is a lesson for all of us. Comrade Mewa will never die." ANC provincial chairperson, Sihle Zikhala, and Ethekwini Mayor, Ms Zandile Gumede, who also addressed the mourners, re-iterated that Ramgobin stood for the true ideals of a society that was free of racism, poverty and marginalisation. They also called on people to re-dedicate themselves to the ideals and legacy of Ramgobin. Ramgobin is survived by a 74-year-old sister, his wife, Mariam, former wife Ela Gandhi, and children, Asha, Kidar, Arti, Ashish and Imthian. One of his sons, Kush, was murdered, believed to be committed by apartheid security agents, in the 1980s. His killers have still not been tracked down and brought to justice. - Ends – subrygovender@gmail.com Oct 23 2016

ORDINARY SOUTH AFRICANS DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED ON FREEDOM DAY - 22 YEARS INTO OUR NEW SOUTH AFRICA

BY SUBRY GOVENDER

MEWA RAMGOBIN SPEAKS ABOUT THE FUTURE ON THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ANC IN 2012

(Mewa with Archie Gumede and Archbishop Denis Hurley at an anti-apartheid media conference) BY SUBRY GOVENDER In 2012 I interviewed Mewa Ramgobin about his views on the ruling ANC when it celebrated its 100th anniversay. Here are some of his sound clips on his views about the road ahead: 1. Mewa says ANC must entrench its values

2. Mewa says the ANC must overcome aberrations

3. Mewa says the ANC must take stock of its achievements

4. Mewa says the ANC historically is the best organisation for South Africa

5. Mewa says the ANC must reflect on whether it wants power just for the sake of power

6. MEWA SAYS THE ANC MUST TAKE STOCK OF ITSELF

7. Mewa says the ANC reflect on a number of issues

8. Mewa says the ANC must not allow corruption and other shortcomings to ruin the organisation

9. Mewa says the ANC has a mission for South Africa but must be on guard

10. Mewa says the ANC is the future

Mewa Ramgobin was a struggle stalwart who sacrificed his life for a non-racial and democratic South Africa

MEWA RAMGOBIN – A STRUGGLE STALWART WHO MADE ENORMOUS SACRIFICES FOR THE CREATION OF A NON-RACIAL AND DEMOCRATIC SOUTH AFRICA By Subry Govender One of the veterans of the freedom struggles against white minority rule and apartheid in South Africa, Mr Mewalall Ramgobin, who passed away at the age of 84 in Cape Town on Monday(Oct 17) night, will be remembered for his uncompromising commitment to the creation of a non-racial and democratic society. I interviewed Mewa at his flat in Brindahavan, Verulam, once again in 2009 after some political activists were discussing the idea of establishing a progressive forum to work with the ANC. They were concerned that people of Indian-origin were moving away from the ANC and some had expressed the view that the Natal Indian Congress should not have been allowed to go out of existence. But Mewa was insistent that people of Indian-origin were South Africans and, therefore, should continue to be associated with the ANC and other progressive organisations. Out of politics, they should also continue to be involved in community, social and sporting activities like they had been involved during the days of the anti-apartheid struggles. This is the radio report I had produced after the interview with Mewa. He will be remembered as one of the sons of the struggles who paid a heavy price. Hamba Kahle and go well Mewa.

MEWA RAMGOBIN – A STRUGGLE STALWART WHO MADE ENORMOUS SACRIFICES FOR THE CREATION OF A NON-RACIAL AND DEMOCRATIC SOUTH AFRICA

By Subry Govender One of the veterans of the freedom struggles against white minority rule and apartheid in South Africa, Mr Mewalall Ramgobin, who passed away at the age of 84 in Cape Town on Monday(Oct 17) night, will be remembered for his uncompromising commitment to the creation of a non-racial and democratic society. Mr Ramgobin had been ill for the past few months after retiring as a member of parliament of the ruling ANC. He had been elected as an MP since the dawn of our democracy in April 1994. Born in Inanda, north of Durban, on November 10 1932, Ramgobin, who was known to all of us as “Mewa”, had been involved in the struggles from an early age when he became convinced that the fate of the people of Indian-origin people was inextricably linked to the majority African people. He joined the Natal Indian Congress at an early age in 1950 and thereafter became involved in student activities at the then University of Natal and became active in the anti-apartheid struggles with leaders of the calibre of Alan Paton, Archbishop Denis Hurley, Advocate Louis Skewiya, Don Kali, Jordan Ngubane, David Matabese and Johnny Makhatini.

In the 1950s and thereafter he also became involved with the Mahatma Gandhi Trust and the Phoenix Settlement Trustin Phoenix where he stayed for some time after marrying Ela Gandhi. But because of his involvement in community, student and Phoenix Settlement activities, he came under the scrutiny of the notorious apartheid Security Police at that time. He suffered his first five-year banning order in 1965. But this did not stop him from continuing with his community work and at the Phoenix Settlement Trust. At the same time he provided sanctuary to Steve Biko and other student leaders to promote their struggles from the Phoenix Settlement. When his banning order expired in 1970, he started the South African Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners and at the same time initiated the revival of the Natal Indian Congress. The NIC, which was established by Mahatma Gandhi in 1894, became inactive and defunct since the 1960s due to the harassment, bannings, and detentions of leaders such as Dr Monty Naicker, Dr Kesaval Goonum, Mr I C Meer, Mr J N Singh and Mr George Singh.

He worked actively with a new group of activists such as George Sewpersadh, M J Naidoo, Paul David, Dr Farouk Meer, Dr Jerry Coovadia, D K Singh, Dr Dilly Naidoo and Rabbi Bugwandeen to re-invigorate the struggles against white minority rule. The dirty tricks of the apartheid regime did not stop their harassment of Mewa. Agents of the apartheid regime planted a parcel bomb in his Durban office in 1973. Fortunately, he was not around at the time the bomb exploded. The apartheid regime did not stop there, it imposed restriction orders on him and he was forced to move his insurance office to Verulam where he also set up home with his family. He was banned again for another five years in 1976 but the determined Mewa continued with his political and community work unabated. In the early 1980s he was involved in the establishment of the Release Mandela Committee. But he was banned again for another five-year period in 1981. He did not serve the full banning when in 1983 the apartheid regime in a surprise move unbanned Mewa and all the other activists who were banned at that time.

One of the first assignments Mewa and his colleagues carried out after they were unbanned was to drive the very next day to Brandfort in the Free State to show their support for Mrs Winnie Mandela, who was banished to this small village from Johannesburg by the apartheid regime. The colleagues who accompanied Mewa were M J Naidoo, George Sewpersadh, Paul David and Subry Govender. Mewa once again became actively involved in the political struggles and played a major role in the establishment of the United Democratic Front in Cape Town in August 1983 with leaders such as Archie Gumede, Paul David, Trevor Manuel, Pravin Gordhan, and Yunus Mahomed. He was elected as one of the joint treasurers of the UDF with Cassim Salojee. As a leader of the NIC and the UDF, Mewa continued with his political struggles by campaigning with fellow activists against the apartheid regime’s attempts to co-opt the Indian-origin and Coloured people into the House of Delegates and the House of Representatives alongside the white Parliament.

For their efforts, Mewa and his fellow activists, George Sewpersadh, Billy Nair, Archie Gumede, M J Naidoo and Sam Kikine were detained in terms of the apartheid regime’s notorious security laws. But they managed to bring an urgent court action against their detentions and were freed by the Pietermaritzburg Supreme Court. Soon after their release, they raised the struggles to an international level on September 13 1984 by seeking refuge at the British Consulate which was situated in a building at the corner of the former Smith and Field streets in Durban at that time. Mewa remained here for a month but was re-arrested on October 6 1984 on charges of High Treason. He was the number one accused in the High Treason Trial which was held at the Pietermaritzburg High Court. His fellow accused were Isaac Ngcobo, Archie Gumede, Curtis Nkondo, Sisa Njikelana, Aubrey Mokoena, Sam Kikine, M J Naidoo, Mrs Albertina Sisulu, Essop Jassat, Cassim Salojee, George Sewpersadh, Paul David, Frank Chikane and Thozamile Gqweta.

Defended by Ismail Mahomed, who later became the Chief Justice of South Africa after the dawn of freedom in 1994, Mewa and all his fellow treason trialists were acquitted on December 15 1985. Mewa and his fellow struggle stalwarts continued with their struggles to see a number of Robben Island prisoners such as Ahmed Kathrada, Walter Sisulu, and Govan Mbeki being released at the end of 1989 and the release of Nelson Mandela in February 1990. At the same time the ANC, PAC and other organisations were unbanned by the then apartheid President, F W De Klerk. During the transitional peace talks and the negotiations process from the early 1990s to 1994, Mewa played a significant role in the background with the full support and blessings of Nelson Mandela and other ANC leaders. He was elected as an ANC MP in April 1994 and served in this position until 2009 when he retired.

During his life-time Mewa visited the land of his forefathers several times. His very first visit was to make an entry into the film world in the early 1950s. Ten years later he visited India again to marry his teenage sweetheart, Ela Gandhi. And then in 1974 when he was granted a passport by chance he and his family visited India for six months. During this period he addressed many political meetings and held talks with political leaders. I interviewed Mewa at his flat in Brindahavan, Verulam, once again in 2009 after some political activists were discussing the idea of establishing a progressive forum to work with the ANC. They were concerned that people of Indian-origin were moving away from the ANC and some had expressed the view that the Natal Indian Congress should not have been allowed to go out of existence. But Mewa was insistent that people of Indian-origin were South Africans and, therefore, should continue to be associated with the ANC and other progressive organisations. Out of politics, they should also continue to be involved in community, social and sporting activities like they had been involved during the days of the anti-apartheid struggles. This is the radio report I had produced after the interview with Mewa. He will be remembered as one of the sons of the struggles who paid a heavy price. Hamba Kahle and go well Mewa.