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SA, Zambia to build monument for fallen liberation struggle heroes

SA, Zambia to build monument for fallen liberation struggle heroes
By Chibaula Silwamba
Sun 21 Feb. 2010, 03:53 CAT

GOVERNMENTS of South Africa and Zambia will build a monument for fallen liberation struggle heroes of the two countries, South Africa's international relations and cooperation minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said yesterday.

And Dr Kenneth Kaunda described the late Johnny Makhathini, African National Congress (ANC) head of international relations and cooperation, whose remains were exhumed in Lusaka yesterday, as a fearless and dedicated freedom fighter who sincerely believed that all men and women irrespective of race, colour and tribe were created equal.

Speaking at the memorial service of Makhathini, who died in December 1988, at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Lusaka, Nkoana-Mashabane said the exhumation and repatriation of Makhatini's remains was symbolic but the two governments would erect a monument for other fallen freedom fighters.

“We will work together with the Zambian government to build a monument of all our fallen heroes and heroines in this country. We envisage the monument with names of both South Africans and Zambians,” said Nkoana-Mashabane. “So the collection of the mortal remains of our father is not a divorce between our people of Zambia and South Africa.”

And Dr Kaunda said Makhathini had an impeacable record of service from his early life.

“Comrade Makhathini was well-known at the United Nations as a persuasive representative of the people of South Africa, who spoke so eloquently about what was taking place there in South Africa,” said Dr Kaunda.

South African Speaker Max Sisulu praised Zambia for the support it rendered to his country during the liberation struggle.

MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba said the struggle for the liberation of South Africa was the passion for Makhathini.

Kalumba said, for Zambians, it was not an option to help South Africa during the freedom struggle.

Makhathini was born in Durban on February 8, 1932 and after he became a teacher he joined the ANC where he rose through the ranking becoming party representative to Algeria and then head of the ANC mission to the United Nations.

Makhathini was appointed head of the ANC's Department of International Affairs headquartered in Lusaka and died at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) on December 3, 1988 after a short illness.

Labels: APARTHEID, INDEPENDENCE, KENNETH KAUNDA, LIBERATION, SOUTH AFRICA

posted by MrK @ 7:10 AM