The family of the late anti-apartheid activist, Zwelentlanya Mgcawu, claims that the African National Congress (ANC) in the Northern Cape has neglected them, despite their father’s significant contribution to the struggle for freedom.
Mgcawu, who has a district municipality named after him, was among the Upington 26. He was also the Karais Municipal mayor between 1995 and 1997. His descendants have threatened to remove his name from all government and ANC’s offices if the party fails to engage with them.
The late anti-apartheid activist’s nephew, Luyolo Mgcawu explains, “Nobody is willing to come to the table nobody is willing to talk to us. if that is the case let us just take the name and move with it as things are we are poverty stricken as things are we are left for the cold and for the dogs we say give us our name and then we will comeback emerge ourselves and reclaim that dignity in our name and we will work in that name in this house that used to work for the organisation.”
The ANC in provincial spokesperson, Thabo Mothibi, says the party has undertaken several interventions to help the Mgcawu family.
“As the ANC in the Northern Cape, we have undertaken several interventions we have gone out of our way because it has always been part of our DNA that we go out and assist our freedom struggle heroes’ families and come up with those interventions. In this particular instance, we built houses we created jobs clearly are going to be handled ransom going probably going into the third generation.”
Meanwhile, the president held a presidential imbizo at the Mxolisi Dicky Jacobs Stadium ZF Mgcawu district municipality.
President @CyrilRamaphosa leads Government response to issues raised by community members, outlining plans and programmes that are being implemented.#PresidentialImbizo at the Mxolisi Dicky Jacobs Stadium in ZF Mgcawu District Municipality, Northern Cape #LeaveNoOneBehind 🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/cx05WWg4Yq
— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) October 21, 2022
