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ANC Veterans League: The ANC Veterans League Mourns The Death of Comrade Thobile AKA Dyasi Mhlahlo

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ANC Veterans League: The ANC Veterans League Mourns The Death of Comrade Thobile AKA Dyasi Mhlahlo

ANC Veterans League: The ANC Veterans League Mourns The Death of Comrade Thobile AKA Dyasi Mhlahlo
Photo by Creamer Media

31st May 2019

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/ MEDIA STATEMENT / The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The ANC Veterans League is saddened by the untimely death of Comrade Thobile Mhlahlo.

Comrade Mhlahlo died on the 17th May 2019 after a short illness.

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Comrade Thobile “Dyasi” Mhlahlo was born in Kwazakhele, Port Elizabeth on 18 October 1954 to Marhanjana Madikane and Nonani Tsholo. Thobile pursued his primary education in Port Elizabeth and later went to continue his secondary studies in Alice. Comrade Thobile Mhlahlo like many of the youth of his generation was a social animal who loved music, jazz in particular. A very neat gentleman who was particular about the kind of clothes he wore. As a young man he had a good eye for the fairer sex.

He met Nomana Manungo, whom he married in 1980. They were blessed with four children. Three girls, Nothemba, Tamie and Nomkhosi, and a son, Lungelo.

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His inclination towards politics was exposed when he was working at Ford Motor Company where he became a member of MACWUSA [Motor Assembly and Components Workers Union of South Africa], a very militant union that was organising in the motor industry at the time. MACWUSA was not shy to participate in community struggles, as it understood that the struggle of workers could not be confined to the factory floor.

Together with KWARU [Kwazakhele Rugby Union], PEBCO, COSAS, AZASO, IDAMASA etc, it was MACWUSA that took the leadership role in the struggles in the township communities in Port Elizabeth. Through MACWUSA, comrade Mhlahlo was part of the organised community struggles as a leader representing the workers. By the time of the formation of the United Democratic Front, comrade Thobile was an established community leader.

In UDF he was in the Education and Burial committees. Like all those who dared to occupy leadership positions in those days, he also had to suffer the torture of the fascist regime's security police in detention. As if that was not enough, he also had to endure the Maqhina-Azapo terror that was backed by the security forces of PW Botha in the townships in 1985. His family was nearly decimated when his home was petrol bombed and burnt down to ashes. Were it not for a tip-off thirty minutes before the attack, we would today be burying comrade Thobile without his wife and children.

Cde Mhlahlo was amongst those who simultaneously operated in above-board and underground structures of the ANC and the South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU). Together with cdes like Dennis Neer, Dumile Makhanda, Max Mandlingozi, Robert Tlou, Fikile Kobese etc. they kept the SACTU ideological approach alive within the trade union movement in this part of the Province under very trying circumstances. Their unit was part of the SACTU drive for “One Industry One Trade Union, One Country One Federation. The fruits of those efforts that were initiated around 1981 was the birth of COSATU in 1985.

Thobile Mhlahlo was forced to leave the country and went into exile in 1985 to Lesotho and Tanzania. He then went for military training in Angola after which he was deployed to the Headquarters of the South African Congress of Trade Unions, SACTU in Lusaka, Zambia.

Comrade Thobile was assigned duties in the SACTU Internal Committee, which was headed by cde Mlungisi Bazani, and later cde Marin Sere whom he deputised. He arrived at a time that SACTU was in the process of establishing its internal presence inside South Africa, having taken a decision to build one trade union federation in the country - a single, non-racial trade union federation based on the principle of one industry, one union.

The SACTU Internal Committee was directly responsible for setting up units inside the country which worked within the legally operating trade union movement to promote the campaign for a single non-racial trade union federation based on the principle of one industry one union. Comrade Thobile through his union, MACWUSA had long been involved in the process towards a single trade union federation. The Internal Committee also organised trade union education and training through the international trade union movement.

Comrade Mhlahlo travelled around the world mobilising political and material support for the struggle of black workers in South Africa.

However, the most urgent and critical task that faced SACTU during the period of 1982 to 1985 was the creation of the Congress of South African Trade Unions, COSATU. These were dynamic times in the trade union movement where Unity Talks was the slogan of the early and mid 80’s. There were talks about talks; pre-conditions to unity talks; unity at all costs. And there were debates, arguments, agreements and disagreements about Unity. Unions walked out of the talks - and walked back in - but the unity talks remained alive despite numerous attempts to derail the talks.

Comrade Mhlahlo was priviledged to work with and learn from the giants of our non-racial trade movement- Baba Moses Mabhida, Ray Simons, John Nkadimeng, Mark Shope, Archie Sibeko, Kay Moonsamy and Stephen Dlamini.

Then eventually in December 1985 COSATU was launched. That was a great day in the history of the struggle of the working class and comrade Mhlahlo and SACTU played a significant role in this achievement.

It therefore pained cde Thobile when he witnessed the cracks and divisions in the trade union movement in recent years. The unity of the working class has been torn asunder and we are still reeling under the divisions because as long as we are not united as the working class, we cannot hope to make any significant impact on the ongoing struggle to improve the lives of the poor and down-trodden. In honour of comrade Thobile Mhlahlo, we must once again forge unity in the trade union movement and work towards a united trade union movement. El pueblo unido, jamas sera vencido – the people united shall never be defeated! The workers united – shall never be defeated!

Comrade Thobile and his family returned to South Africa in 1990 after the unbanning of the ANC and its allies and continued his political involvement. Comrade Mhlahlo was the first MEC for Public Works in the Eastern Cape in the Cabinet of Premier Raymond Mhlaba in 1994. Reconstruction and Development Programme was later included in his portfolio under the national guidance of the then Deputy President Thabo Mbeki.

He returned to the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature as the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Transport.

From 2004 to 2008, he was the MEC for Safety, Liaison, Roads and Transport. The then Premier Nosimo Balindlela further appointed him to be the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Eastern Cape Socio-Economic Consultative Council (ECSECC).

During this period, he was Provincial Executive Committee and Provincial Working Committee member of the ANC in the Eastern Cape. He also served in the national and provincial sub-committee for Peace and Stability.

From 2008 to 2009, he was the MEC for Safety, Liaison and Human Settlement.

Comrade Thobile started his family business opening an autobody repairs shop in North End together with his wife Nomana, daughter Nunu and created jobs for about 20 workers. He was appointed as a member of the ANC Regional Task Team in 2015 and again in 2018.

We are paying our respects to a dearly loved and respected father, grandfather, husband, comrade, friend, leader, a patriot who was totally committed to the struggle for a better life for all.

In the last few years, cde Thobile was impatient about what he regarded as the wrong-doing in the organisation. He was appalled at the revelations that emerged about the level and intensity of corruption and criminality and held strong views that the situation should be attended to urgently. Comrade Thobile was saddened by the factionalism and divisions within the organisation and was vocal on the need for the ANC to deal with all its shortcomings. Comrade Thobile was a man of principle – a brave, bold, outspoken, logical, reflective, principled patriot who held dear the policies and principles of the African National Congress. Comrade Thobile was an orator and a popular speaker at many political events in the Metro and he always stressed the responsibility we have to defend and protect our Movement.

It was therefore natural that during the political turmoil in the Nelson Mandela Bay Region in late 2018, when the staff and comrades at the ANC Regional Office were threatened and the offices vandalised and closed down, it was comrade Mhlahlo, together with MK and the Regional ANC Veterans League who led the defence to ensure that the political programmes of the ANC were implemented despite the physical threats from political gangsters and criminals. In the face of all the danger, comrade Mhlahlo and MK, were part of the progressive Alliance with Veterans and Youth League, SANCO and SACP who were determined that the ANC flag will be raised high and the membership will not be cowed down by factional battles. Comrade Mhlahlo was always driven by his commitment and dedication to the struggle of the masses of our people.  

Today in honour of comrade Thobile, we call for introspection; we call for renewal and for healing. Comrades we must go back to our branches and build our organisation brick by brick, member by member. In this way we will honour comrade Thobile.

He leaves behind his wife, two sisters, his children, two sons-in-laws and seven grandchildren. Rest in eternal peace Mpinga, Mawawa, Senzwa. You were loved in life and will always be loved, even in death. Mbala kaQoshe!

He will buried on Saturday 1 June.The funeral service will be held Nangoza Jebe Hall in Port Elizabeth.

May his soul rest in peace! Hamba Kahle qawe lama qawe!

Issued by Snuki Zikalala
President of the ANC Veterans League

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