The late Albertina Sisulu has been praised for her devotion in the ANC movement and her love for education.
Minister of Communications Nomvula Mokonyane delivered Sisulu Memorial lecture in Welkom in the Free State.
Her life has been characterised with love and respect, especially for children.
Anti-Apartheid activist Nontsikelelo Sisulu has been described as a woman of integrity and fearless champion of democracy who fought for human rights.
Minister Nomvula Mokonyane says Free State ANC should restore hope to its people for the sake of Ma Sisulu.
She says Sisulu provided much needed leadership during the difficult years of apartheid and made sure that women’s voice are heard
Minister of Communications Nomvula Mokonyane says:”Talking about how Sisulu admired education and improved lives of woman and children. Her commitment to the movement.”
Mokonyane has appealed to women to stand in solidarity and continue the struggle in honouring the late Sisulu.
Sisulu was an exemplary figure
Former IEC chairperson, Dr. Brigalia Bam says Albertina Sisulu was an exemplary figure whose humility and great leadership qualities will remain relevant to many generations to come. Dr. Bam delivered the Albertina Sisulu Memorial Lecture on Saturday, as part of the struggle veteran’s centenary celebrations in the village where she was born at Xolobe in Tsomo, Eastern Cape.
Ma Sisulu was born in 1918 and died in 2011. Dr. Bam has described her as an embodiment of selflessness and a remarkable incorruptible leader.
“She was special in very many ways. She was a woman who had so many gifts as a leader. A person who really cared for humanness and humanity in its fullest sense. She knew who she was and respected the self. Respect for self and truthfulness is able to prevent you from corruption.”
She says Ma Sisulu never betrayed the struggle and fought to the bitter end.
“She was special in very many ways. She was a woman who had so many gifts as a leader. A person who really cared for humanness and humanity in its fullest sense. She knew who she was and respected the self. Respect for self and truthfulness is able to prevent you from corruption.”
Sisulu’s granddaughter, Nontsikelelo Sisulu-Singaphi, says the country still has a lot of work to do in order to realise the total freedom many fought and died for.
“We have work to do. Ma Sisulu in the foreword written by Dr. Bam starts by saying, Our responsibility is to tell our story having stopped to assess what we have done and it’s up to the next generation to do with it as they will. The country must indeed remain free, democratic and nonsexist and we must move very swiftly towards non sexism and a non violent South Africa so that we can be a prosperous country.”
However, Tsomo still struggles with poor infrastructure. Villagers at Xolobe village where Ma Sisulu was born, struggle to get water and electricity. SABCnews caught up with one of them.
“We need water, we need roads. We’re struggling with water. Even the youth have nothing to do because they are hungry. Their parents are not working and it’s not easy for them to go to school. Now they go do drugs.”
A housing project is in the pipeline as well as other infrastructure programmes. Arts and Cultrure MEC, Bulelwa Tunyiswa, says the inter-ministerial committee will launch them this financial year.
“The department of human settlement is responsible for rural housing, the multi purpose centres and also the destitute families. 101 families are going to benefit in that project.”
A number of events marked the Sisulu centenary celebrations. These included an imbizo with the elderly and stop overs at clinics and a hospital by government officials.
Government has promised to provide residents with houses, water and electricity in honour of Ma Sisulu. Yanga Funani in Tsomo in the Eastern Cape.
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