A TRIBUTE TO AN UNSUNG HERO OF OUR STRUGGLE Just before the election on the Sunday night of April 19,2009 to be precise I received a call from comrade Lucian Segame. His voice was trembling and close to breaking. He had been with comrade Rebone who broke the news that comrade Retlabusa Mereyohle was brutally attacked by IFP supporters at the M’zimhlophe Hostel while campaigning for the African National Congress. He told me that our soldier was admitted to the Chris Hani Memorial Hospital and that he was fighting for his life. There was not much hope in comrade Lucian’s voice. Present in his voice was the suggestion of the unthinkable informed by the reality in front of him. Not much sleep was possible that night.
Retlabusa Mereyohle the freedom fighter of SSN, ANCYL & YCLSA, Retlabusa Mereyohle the reconciler, Retlabusa Mereyohle the non-racialist, Retlabusa Mereyohle the young nation builder, Retlabusa Mereyohle the inspirer, Retlabusa Mereyohle the thinker and greatest listener and Retlabusa Mereyohle the tireless volunteer, was lying in a hospital bed unable to use his rough earthly voice. Imagine my utter agony on reading from our forum that he was no more. Does the political intolerance of the IFP supporters know no bounds? As is the case in Kwazulu Natal province currently. Surely, the responsibility to work for reconciliation is the responsibility of us all – the ANC and its opposition Black and White, Politicians and newspaper editors first of all! What do the papers say now with the blood-bath waged by IFP supporters on members of the ANC and that our heroes are dying? Do they wish it does not stop if not why are they not condemning it? RETLABUSA MEREYOHLE THE RECONCILER The multi talented comrade Retlabusa was a leader of SSN. We all agree that his conflict and problem solving skills were above par for a young man of mere 25 years old. He was the sort that always went the extra mile for harmony and peace in the solidarity movement and I am certain the same goes for the other progressive formations he led. RETLABUSA MEREYOHLE THE INTERNATIONALIST SSN is a solidarity movement in solidarity with the oppressed peoples of Swaziland. Comrade Retlabusa Mereyohle understood that the Swazi people need to be free from mortifying exploitation by the royal family at their expense. His relentless efforts to our pickets and the massages he wrote on cards every Friday continue to speak volumes! His in depth understanding of PUDEMO of Swaziland and other formations was ominous, a potent brew of purified Marxism-Leninism and understanding of the workers international struggle at best yet at a very tender age. RETLABUSA MEREYOHLE: A NEW CADRE Like Comrades Buti Manamela and Julius Malema, Retlabusa Mereyohle has not had any life outside the YCLSA and ANCYL and therefore outside the struggle for national liberation in our Republic. He lives a legacy of selfless dedication. His was not merely an involvement with the struggle. He was committed to it. Therefore on the eve of the Freedom day we are certain that he departed satisfied that he had fought a good fight and laid a firm foundation for A NEW COUNTRY and a free and democratic Swaziland. In Solidarity Sikhumbuzo Thomo --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "SA Swaziland Solidarity EOM Forum" group. Visit the group site at http://groups-beta.google.com/group/sa-swaziland-solidarity-eom-forum for more options, pages and files. To post to the group, send email to [email protected] or reply to this message. To unsubscribe, send email to [email protected] -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
