From Situ to Black Sash
2003-12-02 15:09
Pretoria - South Africans from all walks of life were honoured by President Thabo Mbeki in Pretoria on Tuesday for their contributions to the arts, sport, democracy and the welfare of their fellow man.
Thirty-seven citizens were recipients of the country's newest two national orders, while four individuals and two groups of people were honoured for exceptional acts of bravery.
The loudest applause of the day went to disabled athlete Zanele Situ, who received the Order if Ikhamanga for her sporting achievements and for serving as a role model.
"Zanele Situ stands as an inspiration to all South Africans in our personal and national challenges to overcome setbacks and adversity," her citation reads.
Situ, who lost the use of both legs at age 12, won gold in the javelin at the Paralympic Games in Sydney three years ago.
Other recipients of the Ikhamanga, for excellence in arts, culture, literature, music, journalism and sport, were boxer Gerrie Coetzee, golfer Gary Player, athlete Hestrie Cloete and swimmer Penny Heyns.
Humbling
Coetzee described the award as humbling, saying: "Actually, I have been long forgotten".
Player said he felt greatly honoured. "It is a very special day in our lives to see all those people who dedicated their lives and lost their lives honoured in this way."
The Ikhamanga was also presented to a number of individuals for their contribution to non-racial sport, including rugby and cricket player Goolam Abed, cricketer Basil D'Oliviera and long-distance runner Sydney Maree.
Among the recipients of the Mendi decoration for bravery was game ranger Sam Nkomo, who defended two tourists unarmed against a herd of elephants in July.
Saulspoort Dam hero
The order was also awarded to Leonard Slabbert, who saved eight people from drowning when a bus transporting Congress of SA Trade Unions members plunged into the Saulspoort Dam in the Free State on May 1.
Others honoured for bravery included Umkhonto we Sizwe cadres Basil February and Linda Jabane, as well as defence force teams involved in rescuing people during the Mozambican floods of 2000 and from the sinking Oceanos cruise ship in 1991.
The order of Luthuli, created to recognise contributions to the struggle for democracy, nation building, human rights, justice, peace and conflict resolution in Africa, was presented to 16 individuals - 10 of them posthumously.
'Handmaidens of liberty'
They included former Foreign Affairs Minister Alfred Nzo and anti-apartheid activists like Cissie Gool, Archibald Gumede, Matthew Goniwe, and former Black Sash president Mary Burton.
Mbeki hailed the recipients as the "handmaidens of our liberty" and the representatives of Africa's wealth of human imagination and talent.
- SAPA