SACP MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCES - MEMORIAL SERVICE OF WINNIE MANDELA

MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCES FROM THE SACP ON THE OCCASION OF THE MEMORIAL SERVICE OF CDE NOMZAMO WINNIE MADIKIZELA-MANDELA

“One day they passed by to ask who would be advised in case of the
death, and the real possibility of it struck all of us. Later we knew that it
was true, that in a revolution one triumphs or dies (if it be a true one).
Many comrades were left along the road to victory.
Today everything has a less dramatic tone, for we are more mature, but
the event is repeating itself. I feel that I have fulfilled the part of my duty
that bound me to the Cuban Revolution on its territory, and I take my
farewell of you, my comrades and your people who are now my people.”
Ernesto “Che” Guevara’s farewell letter to Commandante Fidel

The South African Communist Party in the Northern Cape conveys its
heartfelt condolences to the family of Nomzamo Winnie Madikizela-Mandela,
the entire national liberation movement and South Africans in general.
Comrade Winnie as she was fondly addressed is a stalwart of our struggle for
liberation and, a strong and resolute gender transformation activist and
national democratic revolutionary. Her departure from the world of the living
leaves South Africa poorer without her.

As a Party of historical and dialectical materialism and in memory of Comrade
Winnie, the African National Congress, the SACP and the whole of South
Africa`s liberation movement, we must document the institutional memory that
South Africa would lose without a detailed historical account of the
contribution and sacrifices made by each one of our veterans to the course of
freedom. This is extremely important both for young people and our future
generations. An accurate account of where our society comes from is crucial
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to our national vision for a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous
South Africa based on social emancipation. The contribution that Comrade
Winnie made to the South African revolution, her sacrifices to the course, and
on the other hand the reactionary, repressive and torturous responses she
endured from the apartheid regime, can produce volumes of history,
humanities and social science books. Highlighting a few aspects could
produce an unintended consequence of narrowing the colossal contribution
and great sacrifices that she has made.

We reiterate our perspective, in memory of Comrade Winnie, for the forging of
a progressive women`s movement which must, taking its cue from her
revolutionary life and times, dedicate its focus towards ending patriarchy in
our society and resolving the systemic problems of class, national and gender
inequalities, unemployment, poverty and social insecurity. The working class,
in particular women, is on the receiving end of the capitalist system. The
movement, and indeed all peace loving South Africans, should pick up the
spear, advance and deepen the second radical phase of our transition from
colonialism and its legacy
We dip our revolutionary Red Flag in salute of her colossal contribution to the
liberation of her people

AMANDLA