Humble key word to describe legend
May 07 2008 02:07:55:527PM  - (SA)  

Druk artikel   E-pos storie aan 'n vriend

The Thabo Mofutsanyana district in the Eastern Free State is named after this political leader of his time.

Born in Qwaqwa, he was one of the key people involved in the first real mass trade union for South Africa’s black miners.

Mofutsanyana also played a prominent role in the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Communist Party (SACP).

During the founding of the All African Convention in 1935 he was elected as an executive committee member where he was the provincial secretary.

In the early 1940’s Mofutsanyana worked very closely with Alfred B. Xuma, then president of the ANC, in modernizing the organisation.

In the same decade he was also elected as a member of the ANC national executive committee.

His long time friend and eventual biographer, Prof. Robert Edgar from Washington D.C, in the United States, remembers Mofutsanyana for his humbleness, courage and his approach to education.

“Thabo was a very humble man, and at the forefront in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. I met him in Lesotho where I was a lecturer at the University of Roma. He was hiding from the South African police. What I liked most about him was his knowledge of history and that made him popular with many students,” said Edgar.

Thabo’s son, Malefetsane, said his father lived a simple life.

“I stayed with him in Orlando East, Gauteng, before he went in exile to Lesotho. He used to write to me and encourage me to go to school,” he said.

Malefetsane said his father loved education and they shared some special moments together.

“Above all, my father was a very humble man,” he said.

Mr Msebenzi Zwane, mayor of the Thabo Mofutsanyana District, thanked the Mofutsanyana family and all the people who helped in gathering the rich information about this struggle hero.

As part of the event Mofutsanyana’s bust was unveiled.

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