South African Communist Party (SACP) central committee member George Mashamba says the SACP must revitalize ANC and alliance such as Congress of the South African Trade Unions to continue with the liberation struggle left by struggle icons Moses Kotane and John Beaver Marks.
Mashamba was speaking at the provincial memorial service of Kotane and JB Marks held in Greenside, outside Polokwane in Limpopo last night.
The remains of ANC stalwarts Kotane and JB marks were repatriated from Russia where they were buried after dying in exile more than forty years ago. Kotane will be re-buried at Phela village outside Rustenburg in North West on Saturday. While JB Marks will be re-buried in Ventersdorp also in the North West province next weekend.
More than 200 people attended the memorial. Political activist and trade unionist JB Marks served as president of the Transvaal branch of the ANC and was elected chairperson of SACP in 1962.
He died of heart attack in 1972 in Moscow. While Kotane was the secretary general of the SACP from 1939 until his death in 1979. Kotane suffered a stroke in 1968.
Speaking at the memorial, Mashamba says the two struggle icons would like to see unity in the alliance. “What Kotane, Marks like us to do as communist party members is to make sure that we must revitalize ANC we must make sure that Cosatu becomes strong once more SANCO become a civic organization in our community in the ANC those who are in the fore front they fight everywhere.”
Kotane’s family says they are thrilled that Kotane’s remains have finally arrived in his home town following an absence of almost 90 years.
ANC PEC member Philemon Mdaka also spoke at the memorial service. Mdaka says the alliance must deal with the current situation in which people fight for positions.
“We have seen a lot of leaders today who talk of collective leadership and act as an individual comrades, at one time fight for positions but not necessary for positions but for chairperson position this are things that we need to deal with it today. Comrade JB Marks and Moses Kotane were those that were not confused on who were the leader of their alliance.”
MKMVA Provincial deputy chairperson Jack Lulameni says they will work tireless to get rid of corruption elements. He was also speaking at the memorial. “Corruption comrades have us in hand in gloves the parties, Cosatu you name them all this are fighting corruption comrades we want the ANC to be clean pure clean of corruption we will work hard in any party to get rid of all the corrupt elements.”
Kotane and JB Marks would be accorded the status of special official’s funerals.
Meanwhile, Kotane’s family says they are thrilled that Kotane’s remains have finally arrived in his home town following an absence of almost 90 years.
Kotane’s son, Moses Junior says, “We are very very excited that’s the mortal remains of Moses Kotane came back, and I have done some calculations, after 95 years of absence from his home village. This where his parents and siblings are buried hence we decided he belongs here”
– By Michael Makungo
