Director of the Programme

Mrs Josephine Loots and the Loots Family

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa

Former Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe

Ministers and Deputy Ministers present here

Leadership of the ANC, SACP, COSATU and SANCO,

Leadership of the MKMVA,

Leadership of the ANC Veterans League,

All Veterans of our struggle present here,

Members of the Diplomatic Corps,

Comrades and friends,

Fellow mourners,

We have gathered to bid farewell to one of the finest cadres produced by our revolution, Comrade Hermanus Gabriel Loots, who was popularly known in the ranks of our movement as James Stuart.

We received the news of the passing of Comrade Hermanus on the second day of our ANC National Executive Committee Lekgotla, on the 25th, of January in Pretoria.

We were saddened at the loss of this leader of our movement and a highly regarded and much loved veteran of our liberation movement.

The passing of Comrade Loots is a stark reminder that death continues to rob us of our veterans who possess the much needed wisdom acquired over many years in the struggle for freedom, justice and equality.

Compatriots,

What is also special about Comrade Loots, is that he was part of the much celebrated Luthuli detachment, which confronted both the apartheid and the Ian Smith forces in battle, in the Wankie-Sipolilo Campaign of 1967.

The Luthuli Detachment was made up of combatants who epitomized selflessness and who were prepared to lay down their lives for the freedom of others.

Their lives symbolised all that was noble about our struggle for freedom.

 

Comrades and compatriots,

There are many outstanding traits in Comrade Loots. Key amongst all, is his undying loyalty to this country and its people, and his willingness to do everything possible to make South Africa a better place to live in, especially for the poor.

The fact that Comrade Loots sacrificed an opportunity to go to Wits University to study to become a civil engineer in the 60s and instead joined MK, indicates that his priority was to live in a free South Africa and he was determined to play a part in securing that freedom.

The living conditions of black people in Johannesburg in the sixties had awakened his political consciousness and had sharpened his resolve to fight for the liberation of his people.

 

In joining MK, he was demonstrating his willingness to pay the ultimate price for the liberation of this country and its people.

He made his mark in the ANC and MK in exile serving in many capacities with diligence, until he was elected into its National Executive Committee in 1985.

He possessed the ability to elevate himself from a situation in order to make a fair and sound judgement.

It is this rare quality of objectivity which prompted President OR Tambo to trust him with the sensitive task to Chair a commission investigating the causes and extent of instability and mutiny in some MK camps in Angola.

Like a true cadre and a revolutionary who always responds positively when duty calls, he agreed to Chair the Stuart Commission, which was named after him and ensured that it executed all its responsibilities diligently. The Commission brought to the fore some of the inconsistencies in the camps, which the leadership needed to attend to urgently, in the interest of the unity and cohesion of our movement.

After the unbanning of organizations he participated in negotiations as part of the ANC team and subsequently became a Member of Parliament under the Presidency of Nelson Mandela. He served in parliament from 1994-1999, sharing his expertise in the Joint Standing Committees of Defence. When he left parliament for the private sector, he continued to contribute to the transformation of the country in the economic domain.

Comrades and compatriots

In Comrade Loots we are also celebrating the life of a leader and cadre who believed in youth development and in the need to invest in the future of our young people.

He played a major role in the formation of the ANC Young Pioneers known as the Masupatsela.

He knew that the younger generation must be trained and well equipped to lead this country in the future.

Through comrade Loots, we remember and salute all MK soldiers, those who are alive and those who have passed on.

We will always carry with us a permanent debt of gratitude in particular to the Luthuli Detachment who displayed determination and fearlessness as they fought for freedom in their land.

These are the traits that Comrade Loots possessed.

Compatriots

Today we lay to rest an unsung hero and a humble servant of the people.

We lay to rest a kind man who cared deeply about the wellbeing of others, especially those in MK camps.

He fought for a truly united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous society.

A society without poverty and inequality, and one in which all feel a sense of belonging in their own country.

A society where all have access to a better life and dignity.

He fought for the society described in the Freedom Charter, where South Africans would live together in harmony, united in their diversity, with equal access to the wealth of the land and to a better life.

He fought for a society without racism and prejudice, where people will not be judged by the colour of their skin as it happened during the evil system of apartheid that he fought relentlessly.

In his honour and memory let us rededicate ourselves to unity as we fight racism and build a non-racial society.

Let us recommit ourselves to working together in unity, to build a better South Africa, a country that Comrade Loots would be proud of.

In that way, we would be taking forward his legacy and that of all our illustrious leaders who sacrificed a lot to bring about freedom and democracy in our country.

We extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Comrade Loots.

He has travelled a long journey, he has played his part, and we are all proud of his selfless and meaningful contribution.

Hamba Kahle Sosha lomkhonto wesizwe

A father figure to many,

a brother,

an uncle,

a mentor and a husband.

May his soul rest in peace.

I Thank You!