Tribute to late Reverend Abner Tembe
Madam,
A great man has fallen; my heartfelt condolences to the Tembe family, particularly his wife, children and to his church. Many may not know or remember that when I was appointed minister of Tourism and Information in 1991 and before I was transferred to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Reverend Abner Tembe, as a senior official in the new ministry then, helped me to settle in. He was honest, polite and a dedicated servant who held my hand.
I do not remember a day when he raised his voice; even when under extreme provocation he was very polite and collected. I remember an incident where James Dlamini of The Times of Swaziland (Eswatini), may his soul rest in peace, wherein he had written a piece in the publication saying that the new minister of Tourism and Information should not cross the road to the Times of Swaziland offices, meaning he should not interfere with press freedom.
You see my offices were housed at the then Swaziland Broadcasting and Information Service and the Times’ offices were just across the road. Dlamini said I must not set foot there. Those were his welcoming remarks to me as a new minister of Tourism and Information. “Stay away from us,” he yelled. We were alarmed at this and at the end we ended up laughing with Reverend Tembe and took no action, in spite of outside influence encouraging us to do so.
He was very dedicated to his family particularly his wife. Each time I would walk into his office and he was on the phone, he would politely say I will call you back honey. He had a strong bond with his wife and loved her unconditionally.
We now know, as narrated by his wife at the memorial service, that when they first met emehlo ahlaba phansi. This, however, did not put the reverend down. He persisted until he achieved what he wanted, which was marrying this beautiful woman and went on to be the good husband that he was.
The reverend was a very staunch Christian throughout his life and a dedicated family man. I dedicate the following poem by Henry Scott to his wife and family. “Death is nothing at all; it does not count. I have only slipped away into the next room; nothing has happened. Everything remains exactly as it was. I am I, and you are you. And the old life that we lived so fondly together is untouched, unchanged. Whatever we were to each other, that we are still. Call me by the old familiar name; speak of me in the easy way which you always used. Put no difference into your tone.” May his soul rest in eternal peace.
Barnabas Dlamini – Managing Director NOSA