May His Soul rest in Peace. Aphela Amaqhawe aseAzania
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From: Jaki Seroke <sero...@hotmail.com>
Sender: payco@googlegroups.com
Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2013 01:55:32
To: payco@googlegroups.com<payco@googlegroups.com>
Reply-To: payco@googlegroups.com
Subject: [PAYCO] MXOLISI ACE MGXASHE - 1944-2013
Sadly, Bra Ace Mgxashe is reported to have passed on in his hometown of Cape
Town on Sunday after a severe bout of shortness of breath. He had always
complained to most of the Africanists close to him that he was not well, but
that he would soldier on and among the many projects he had to do to also
continue work on his manuscript of liberation struggle memoirs as a follow up
on his title "Are you with Us - The Story of a PAC Activist", published by
Tafelberg. He was a journalist for several major newspapers in Southern
Africa during his years in exile and when he returned home after the PAC was
un-banned in 1990. He wrote boldly about the inner workings of the Party and
he invariably disturbed the even tenor of many cadres and leaders with his
controversial insights. A kind of maverick you could say, but clearly a man
with a dose of opinions on many issues pertaining to the history of the PAC. He
was seconded to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission as a scribe and became
privy to the securicrats' evil operations and the many excesses committed by
the liberation movement as well. He particularly gave me overwhelming support
when I had a run-in with some ANC bigwigs enriching themselves by stealing from
the poor in the community of former political prisoners.
I first met him in Botswana in 1982 or so when the PAC chief representative
introduced us. I was secretary of the African Writers Association and book
editor at Skotaville Publishers. Ace was going to take me to Bessie Head's
place in Serowe for me to complete a series of interviews with South African
writers. It was good for me to know that Bessie Head - a great African woman
writer - was also a PAC activist. Mxolisi and I instead had evening long
discussions on political treatise and the many frustrations and advantages of
working as a writer from exile. But I regrettably could not interview him at
the time.
He later wrote something the Botswana authorities were not happy with and he
was shunted out of the country. He also attacked Chairman Pokela from his
embedded journalism vantage point, and made many cadres unhappy. I took it he
was an impulsive man and did not give time to critical thought and serious
reflection when he articulated his views. In the newsroom they are pressed to
meet deadlines and raise the heckles of their subjects through sensationalism
in order to sell the newspapers. He could easily have fallen victim to this
subjective condition. At heart, he was well meaning with his writings.
Blinkered comrades do not understand that among us we have creative talent that
cannot be muzzled. This talent needs an open platform within the Party to
ventilate their opinion and get feedback in debates and objective discussions.
Harnessed properly this talent becomes your gift to society to be appreciated
and acknowledged as true sons and daughters of the nation. Mxolisi rubbed
shoulders with renown leftist academics such as the late Archie Mafeje.
He waxed lyrical about the advent of Letlapa Mphahlele in the leadership of the
PAC in 2006. I held a contrary view - not about personalities but the way in
which desperation and the slide backwards into anarchy were pushing the PAC's
revival the wrong way. We would disagree strongly. His reference was to the
experience in exile and the reverses brought about by undemocratic behavior.
After a few months he came back fuming when Letlapa disappointed him in a
political scheme they had planned for the Western Cape. He could now see the
writings on the wall. He broke ranks. Bra Ace was against corruption and
dictatorial tendencies. He is one of those who think the PAC in its current
form is beyond redemption. I respectfully disagree. It is not the PAC that is
beyond redemption. It is a few lost characters who have stolen the Party
machinery. We are going through a reactionary phase of our history of
struggle. We unfortunately have the propensity to learn the hard way.
Revolutionaries need to learn to be patient and to work hard sharpening their
skills to serve the African people in a systematic way. Revolutionaries must
not follow the four winds. We must not work for instant personal
gratification.
My views are informed by Sobukwe's approach: history will chose its tools.
Time is longer than rope. The African Revolution is ultimately going to
achieve victory. Sobukwe said we must learn not to be blinded by the dust of
the struggle - the glittering golden gates of total liberation were up the
road. We must soldier on.
Mxolisi Ace Mgxashe trials and tribulations in his life experience is for me a
page to read from, to learn from it, and to appreciate his contributions.
Another son of the soil has fallen.
Izwe
Jaki Seroke
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