Dear Comrades Comrade Khoisan X was one of the multi-talented leaders (a dynamic intellectual, public speaker and an agitator of great note) produced by the Africanist movement and remained loyal to the PAC. It is unfortunate that some in the media and within the party would like to rubbish his reputation by linking him to a splinter group which he was not part of. When Thami and others called a meeting in the name of the PAC in July of 2008, after the Alice farce, PAYCO also sent a delegation (lead by myself as PAYCO president at the time) and attended the Botshabelo conference. It is true that when the PAC interdicted the conference, Khoisan X was also cited as a Respondent in the matter. However he never attended the conference. We attended that conference and walked out on the last day when it became clear that the conveners of the conference were hell bent on electing a parallel PAC leadership committee (an idea we were completely opposed to), which was later referred to as the 'Real PAC' before the formation of PAM. We now know what this PAM have become of late, with its founding 'leader' resigning and joining the ANC. Khoisan X did not join PAM and continued working within the PAC. In fact when we held the GATHERING OF PAN AFRICANISTS in Braamfontein in June 2009, he was part of that meeting long after PAM was formed. During the unveiling of the Langa Monument on the 21st March 2010 in Cape Town, Khoisan X was one of the speakers who addressed thousands of PAC members and supporters. The fact than he is still linked to a splinter group which resulted in the formation of PAM when he did not attend any of PAM's founding meetings, two years after the formation of PAM is very mischievious and opportunistic. It is not suprising that the media is also perpetuating these lies because truly speaking, most journalists in this country are lazy and poor researchers. On a positive note Khoisan X has made his contribution to the liberation struggle, through the PAC, while time permitted him to do so. In 2006 he expressed a desire to participate in cadreship development in the party when we engaged him on the possibility of him making a contribution in the leadership of the PAC. In this regard we agreed on the establishment of the party school which he was keen to head. He also indicated that he already had the curriculum as well as the materials which would be used at the school. As we all know, the PAC immediately slipped into a worse leadership crisis shortly after the 2006 Congress and unfortunately this made it difficult for comrades such as Khoisan X who wanted to make a positive contribution in the party, to do so. It is said that exceptionally gifted cadres like Khoisan X would depart from this world without their potential being fully utilised for the benefit of the nation. It is a great loss indeed. The Africanist movement and the African people in general have lost a great resource and investment in comrade Khoisan X! Let's attend the Memorial Service on Wednesday and give him a well deserved Heroes send offf to his place of final rest on Saturday. RIP to this gallant son of Afrika! Izwelethu! I-Afrika! Hulisani Mmbara 082 593 3012
From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [PAYCO] KHOISAN X - MEMORIAL AND FUNERAL Date: Mon, 18 Oct 2010 05:26:02 +0000 Hi Cde Seroke I agree with you, even though I may not have all the facts. However, the point is that Khoisan X was an bona fide Africanist. Differences prevailing in the movement should not be in the public domain. How crazy can it be if in the media someone can say to the public that Khoisan was not the member of the PAC. Immediately after his passing away, the mainstream media carried various articles with a similar wording’ Former PAC leader dies at 55’. I kindly implore anymore to desist to any temptation to spoil the reputation of Khoisan that we should respect, as we will be paying a final respect to him. Izwe Lethu From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Jaki Seroke Sent: Sunday, October 17, 2010 10:43 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [PAYCO] KHOISAN X - MEMORIAL AND FUNERAL Comrades On Sunday, 17 October, I attended a memorial service in honour of Benny Alexander (Khoisan X) organised by his family, his friends and comrades, his business partners, his spiritual leaders, and the Griqua royal house whom he advised on cultural and political matters. It was a touching ceremony held in the garden of Benny's business colleague, and it affected the participants greatly as speakers recounted their various experiences with him. An arrangement has been made to coordinate the week's events that will lead up to Saturday, 23 October, when this great son of Africa will be taken to his final resting place. On Monday morning, 18 Oct, SAfm will dedicate 09:05 till 10:00 to Khoisan X. Phillip Dlamini, Mark Shinners, Lesaoana Makhanda and possibly his ex-wife, Imani Milima Alexander, will discuss his political life including his experiences as a personal aide to Uncle Zeph Mothopeng, as PAC Secretary General, and how he was mentored in the philosophy and political theory of revolutionary Pan Africanism. His interaction with the Khoisan people will also be attested to. This is a talk show - we encourage all Africanists to call in and express their condolences and fond memories of the fallen comrade. On Wednesday, 20 Oct, a Memorial Service will be for at 11:00 for about three and half hours at the Joburg City Hall on President Street. PAC stalwarts and political allies will be on the platform. Again, we encourage all available Party members and supporters to attend. The funeral will take place in Kimberley on Saturday, 23 Oct. The coordinating committee for the funeral is making final preparations for the programmes of the day. However, the venue is on Long Street in Kimberly and is said to accommodate up to a thousand people. An advance guard is today on the way to the Northern Cape to work on final touches. The event on Sat will start at 07:30. We urge mourners to travel safely, to and fro. In early September I was asked by a comrade and friend from the PAC branch in Alex to arrange that Benny be interviewed on the women's television programme, Motswako, on the cultural heritage of the Khoisan. He agreed without complaining even though he was not well, and had lately been unable to attend our own political sessions on the grounds of ill health. The programme was flighted on the night of September 27, wherein Khoisan X in a feeble voice articulated the cultural heritage of the Khoisan correctly in the context of the PAC's position on the national question. We spoke about it the next day and he wanted to hear my opinion. I merely said the brain drain in the PAC is not doing us any good. We will live to regret our self-styled hara-kiri and death wish. Except for sms messages, we never spoke again after that. Uncle Zeph passed on in October 1990 - Benny Alexander (Khoisan X) died in October 2010. This is my sad and last memory of Benny. My parting shot is that having worked with Khoisan X closely in the leadership of the PAC in the 1990s, I have come to respect the man for his open-mindedness and the ability to take debates and differences of opinion on any issue without holding personal grudges. His infectious laughter and wit took him out of tight corners most of the time, and he was always one man up in adversarial circumstances. He was not a saint and he had his imperfections like all other mortals. We can learn a lot from him and his entire life. All we must do, at this stage, is work towards making his a decent funeral. Uncharacteristic of the PAC, there has been a few loudmouths and liars such as the statement attributed to Mfanelo Skwatsha in the media (SAPA) where he refers to Imani on the wishes of the deceased. Imani says these are deliberate distortions and she has never even spoken to Skwatsha. She then spoke to Letlapa Mphahlele privately to set the record straight - and his apologies were accepted. I say 'uncharacteristic' because never in our history have we used death as a platform to further own personal ends. I don't understand how you could say Benny was not a member of the PAC in public, and yet say in public that his final wishes were that he should be buried by the PAC. This is hypocrisy. What have we come to? We must cease with immediate effect from such vile behaviour. We are all members of the PAC and we must act as such, guided by the Basic Documents. And accept nothing out of character. Izwe lethu iAfrika. Jaki Seroke -- Sending your posting to [email protected] Unsubscribe by sending an email to [email protected] You can also visit http://groups.google.com/group/payco Visit our website at www.mayihlome.wordpress.com The information contained in this message and or attachments is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any system and destroy any copies. -- Sending your posting to [email protected] Unsubscribe by sending an email to [email protected] You can also visit http://groups.google.com/group/payco Visit our website at www.mayihlome.wordpress.com -- Sending your posting to [email protected] Unsubscribe by sending an email to [email protected] You can also visit http://groups.google.com/group/payco Visit our website at www.mayihlome.wordpress.com
