The ANC Veteran’s League is concerned that struggle veteran, Thalitha Lebea-Mampuru who was exiled in Zambia during the apartheid days, died without a decent house.
Lebea-Mampuru died last week and has been buried in a special provincial official funeral category two in Polokwane.
Speaking on behalf of the veteran’s league, Papi Motene says Lebea-Mampuru and her late husband, Kgosi Mampuru tirelessly fought for freedom and deserved better.
“She stood in exile in pursuit to liberate this country from the bondage of apartheid till her dream was realised. Today we are gathered here celebrating her life that she lived to the fullest with heavy hearts, we are saying heavy hearts because Mma Mampuru who fought for freedom, the man of the man who sacrificed his Kingship because of the love of his country died without a decent house,” says Motene.
Acting Limpopo Premier, Seaparo Sekwati has called on South Africans to emulate ANC struggle veteran, 87-year-old Mampuru who fought for nation-building. Sekwati delivered the eulogy at Mampuru’s funeral in Polokwane.
“At the time when we need to rebuild our economy from the wreckage of COVID- 19, at the time when our country is dealing with the damaging effects of corruption and rampage disregard of the law, at the time when our movement is attempting to renew and rebuild itself, we need to emulate the life of Mme Monica Lebea Mampuru. Let us all make a commitment that the ANC will never die in our hands and SA will never perish in our watch,” says Sekwati.
Friends and family of the late ANC veteran have described her as knowledgeable.
They say she was always aware of current events. Family members say she taught them about the origins of the family.
“Our Encyclopaedia is no more, a person who knows her story, she knows the roots and all family members of the Lebea family. She used to travel to all ANC meetings. She will call me to come from Tzaneen and help her to push her wheelchair to ANC meetings everywhere including as far as Venda,” says a family member.
