Programme Director;
Members of the bereaved Diale family;
Kgoshigadi Masemola and other Traditional Leaders present;
Minister Collins Chabane, representing the President of the country;
Ministers and Deputy Ministers present here;
MECs from Limpopo and other provinces;
Veterans of our movement led by Tata Andrew Mlangeni;
Leadership of the ANC led by Cde. Ruth Bhengu;
SACP led Cde. Solly Mapaila, COSATU, SANCO and the rest of MDM formations;
MPs and MPLs;
The Leagues of the African National Congress;
Combatants of uMkhonto we Sizwe;
Comrades and Compatriots.

Segagabo rena sere, leselo la motswadi ke papetla, ge o le fefera wa madimabe o a fahlwa.
Lehono batho ba Limpopo le Afrika Borwa ka bophara, re fahlilwe.
Mokgapa o mogolo o wele, dithaga re lla leshogoshogo.

A freedom fighter, a combatant of uMkhonto we Sizwe, a bluecollar worker and a community development activist is no more.

From all over the country, we are gathered here this morning to pay our last respect to one of our own, Comrade Nelson Diale.

A pillar strength, whose departure obviously leaves a void too difficult to fill, is no longer with us. He has joined a generation of battle-scarred soldiers to whom we owe our freedom and democracy - a generation of heroes that chose not to submit when the enemy intensified its offensive against the liberation movement; a generation that chose to participate in the underground activities to ensure the ultimate defeat of the apartheid South Africa; more importantly; a generation that prized the freedom of the oppressed people above everything else.

This is the generation of Mahwidi Phala, Aurea Maleka, Peter Magano, Andrew Mashaba, Melifi Makinta, Peter Nchabeleng, Morris Matsimela, Lawrence Phokanoka, Elias Motswaledi, Mark Shope, Flag Boshielo, to mention but a few.

Under the guidance and political leadership of Mark Shope, the then SACTU General Secretary, Cde Diale worked day and night for the mobilisation of workers along shop floor and political lines.

As a cadre of Umkhonto WeSizwe he was actively involved in carrying out covert tactical sabotage operations against the apartheid regime. This led to his countless arrests, detention without trial and constant persecution by apartheid regime. Not even eight years imprisonment on Robben Island was enough to deter Cde Diale from pursuing the liberation of his people. Instead, it was during his imprisonment on Robben Island that his political and social consciousness was developed.

In his own words, Ntate Diale says, "Through all these atrocities, I was not deterred but managed to remain a disciplined cadre of the liberation movement, because for us the matter of liberating the country was that of life and death. The struggle needed sacrifice, determination and commitment for the realisation of freedom, justice, peace  and democracy. At long last that freedom has been achieved."

Today we must consider ourselves fortunate because from Ntate Diale’s generation, we have inherited a movement with a wealth of revolutionary experience, and reliable vehicle to lead and transform South Africa into a truly developmental state.

Ntate Diale’s obituary tells us that he joined the liberation movement in 1956, which means he was an activist for almost 60 years, and he passes on when his movement is celebrating 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Freedom Charter. What an irony.

Freedom Charter, to him, represented a vision of a truly democratic, free, non-sexist and prosperous South Africa for which he was ready to lay down his own life. It is in this context that throughout his 20 years of parliamentary tenure, Ntate Diale worked tirelessly for the practical implementation of the Freedom Charter.

He played a major role in ensuring that today we have South Africa that belongs to all who live in it, Black and White. We have restored the dignity of Africans in the land of their birth, because amongst us we had Nelson Diale. Today South Africans are equal before the law, and the current government can justly claim authority, because it is based on the will of the people.

The doors of learning and culture have been opened to all, for there is no child who is unable to study at any school of his/her choice either because he/she is black or poor.

We are confident that Ntate Diale will be able report to Comrade O.R. Tambo and other leaders of our movement: that our country is now the most peaceful and secure.

He will be able to tell these leaders that, for the first time, the majority of our people have roof on top of their heads. These houses they receive for free, they are electrified and a lot of work is being done to ensure adequate provision of water services and sanitation.

We owe these milestone achievements to the Ntate Diale and his generation, and must therefore do everything in our power to guard against their reversal.

Programme Director, Ntate Diale’s life paints a picture of a person whose convictions and loyalty to the course of his people was undivided. It is a reflection of a cadre whose involvement in the freedom struggle was not about the replacement of white supremacy with black supremacy, but a vehement opposition to any system of oppression and exploitation of man by man.

We must therefore in his honour and memory, continue to improve the conditions of living of our people. We must be resolute in our commitment to end poverty, unemployment and inequality. We must emulate him and be exemplary in everything we do. We must hate with passion and fight continued fight against corruption in government and wherever it manifests itself.

As I said on Wednesday, Ntate Diale may be gone, but his legacy of selfless service to the freedom, and development of the country will remain with us until the end of time.

As I conclude, I would like to once more take this opportunity to thank President Jacob Zuma for declaring the funeral of this recipient of the Order of Luthuli, a Special Provincial Official Funeral.

Today the South African flag in our province is flown at halfmast in honour and memory of this hero of our people. He has distinguished himself as a true revolutionary, and therefore there could not have a better and befitting tribute than this one.

Once again I wish to extend our condolences to the family for the loss, and in the same vein, express our gratefulness for sharing your father with us.

O e kgathile ya gago tema!

Robala ka khutso mogale wa bagale!