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The African National Congress (ANC) mourns
the death of struggle stalwart Ronnie Press, buried today (5 November 2009)
in Bristol, England.

Press, who passed away on 28 October 2009, joined the
Congress of Democrats in 1953, played an active role in the South African
Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU), the African National Congress (ANC),
Umkhonto we Sizwe (ANC military wing) and the South African Communist Party.
He also served as Secretary of the Textile Workers' Industrial Union.

His
contribution to the South African struggle against apartheid has been quite
immense. A trained chemical engineer, comrade Ronnie provided the liberation
movement with the much-needed technical expertise. He helped to smuggle
equipment and weapons into South Africa and was involved in the movement's
'Technical Committee', which created a variety of devices that were used in
military operations against the apartheid state.

He also contributed to
the setting up of secret communications networks that were operational in
the late 1980s.

Press was among comrades convicted in the 1956 Treason
Trial. During the trial was served with an order banning him from all
gatherings and confining him to Johannesburg for five years. He was Accused
No. 60 in that trial. The indictment was, however, squashed in 1959 and
after the trial comrade Press went into exile in the United Kingdom where he
continued campaigns against apartheid. He was secretary of the Bristol
Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM) at a stage and was made a life member of the
Bristol Trades Union Council.

At this hour of need, our condolences go to
his family and friends. The ANC lowers its banner for this gigantic cadre
and leader of our movement.