TO: THE FAMILY OF CDE ISAAC MAFATSHE , OTHER MOURNERS AND COMPATRIOTS
I write this tribute to Comrade Isaac “Sakkie” Mafatshe with a heavy heart. I
gathered on Tuesday afternoon that UmAfrika Sakkie had left us after a period
of brief illness. The reality of his departure dawned on me when I visited his
home yesterday to pay homage to the family. He has indeed passed on. I grew up
with Sakkie in Atteridgeville. We are of the same generation. He was only two
years older than me. Whilst at secondary school we gained political
consciousness together. His intellect surprised me. In the early 1960’s at the
ages 13 and 14 he had started reading The Africanist a mouth piece of the Pan
Africanist Congress and New Age a mouthpiece of the African National Congress.
He talked about the Chinese revolution and about Cde. Maotse Dong. Together we
attended political ideology classes at Cde Ike Mafole’s home in Maraba Street
and Cde Jafta Masemola’s residence in Tlale Street. We were together arrested
by security police in the dawn of Sharpeville Day, 21 March 1963 for activities
of the Pan Africanist Congress. We were tried together with 14 other activists
in the Synagogue and he picked up 10 years imprisonment as myself and UmAfrika
Mark Shinners. As it is well known, in the same trial. Uncle Jeff Masemola and
John Nkosi were sentenced to life imprisonment.
On Robben Island, Cde Sakkie continued to amaze with his gift to debate
difficult ideological issues of our struggle. He then cared little for formal
education but chose deep self-education by reading progressive writing
particularly on revolution and how to establish a just and equal society. He
carried imprisonment with fortitude whilst his conviction as an Africanist
became even deeper. Se se sa feleng sa hlola! Ten years on Robben Island came
to an end. On his return, Sakkie’s family had left Atteridgeville for Mabopane.
He chose to advance the struggle in exile where he assumed a leadership role
immediately on arrival in Tanzania.
UmAfrika Mafatshe was a revolutionary of a high order. His tenacity and the
will to destroy apartheid and colonial oppression was amazing. His bravery knew
no limits. As we all know, the PAC infiltrated him back into the country in the
late 1970’s to re-awaken underground structures of the PAC within the country.
That was a very risky assignment. He carried it out and left the country before
he was napped by the security forces.
He was a remarkable Azanain whose contribution to our long and arduous struggle
we must celebrate and must not be in vain.
Robala ka Kagiso , Mafatshe.
Dikgang Moseneke
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