"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