Ninety-two-year-old Rivonia Treason Trialist Andrew Mlangeni has called on the country’s leaders to emulate and practice what the struggle stalwarts fought for.
He was speaking at the Indumiso Campus in Pietermaritzburg after being conferred an honorary Doctor of Education degree.
Mlangeni’s contribution to the liberation of the country is well documented.
However, Mlangeni says he is concerned at how some government leaders enrich themselves at the cost of poor South Africans.
“My heart bleeds when I think of the sacrifices made by our comrades who were before me, my heart bleeds. We did not go to prison nor did people die to see what is happening today. The manner in which the country is run today is horrible, it’s disheartening. It makes my heart bleeds in short. This is not what we fought for we do not see any freedom or any changes taking place. Some of our leaders are absolutely corrupt they have no interest in the people for which some died for their interests are in themselves and that does not make us freedom fighters happy.”
Meanwhile, the KwaZulu-Natal Government Representative at the function Health MEC Sbongiseni Dlomo who had also been imprisoned on Robben Island in the 60’s assured Mlangeni that some were still striving to change the lives of South Africans for the better.
“We know the pain that you feel to say at my end of life what I am observing is this really what make me to go to Robben Island in the 60s, so we want to say Bab Mlangeni we will do our best to do what you would love to see the very few of us who are still bearing the integrity and the love of our people will continue following on your footsteps. Congratulations! May God keep you so you continue to champion the life of integrity, discipline and restraint with messing up with our country’s resources.”
