Tamana’s family accuses ANC of abusing her name
THE family of late struggle stalwart Dora Tamana says the ANC is abusing her legacy by naming monuments in her honour without informing them.
The organiser of the first conference of the Federation of South African Women (Fedsaw) in 1954, Tamana died in July 1983 at the age of 82.
Tamana, a former SACP member, became one of only five African women in the Western Cape to be listed under the Suppression of Communism Act.
The anti-pass campaigns led to Tamana’s prominence.
By 1953, she was heavily involved in mobilising women against the imposition of passes.
After attending the inaugural meeting of Fedsaw, she was elected its national secretary in 1954.
Yesterday her grandchildren said although there were streets and buildings named in her honour, the family was not getting the recognition it deserves from the ANC.
Nokuzola Tamana said the government named a park in Retreat after her grandmother and an early childhood development centre in Khayelitsha without their knowledge.
Nibeauty Tamana said the ANC recently collected photos of her grandmother, which the party said would be used in the design of a banner to go up at Luthuli House.
“We are not only complaining about the fact that we had never received anything.
“We are not informed when something is going to be named in her honour.
Nokuzola said the ruling party reduced their grandmother’s struggle contribution to junk status.
She said the only thing the ANC was doing was making unfulfilled promises.
“They are taking us for fools.
“If it was not for the sacrifices our grandmother has made I would stop voting.
“But if the ANC continues to take us for granted I might consider never to vote again,” she added.
ANC spokesperson Yonela Diko said it was puzzling that the family would not be approached when their relative’s name would be honoured for selfless commitment.
“We will look and get to the bottom of this.
“Maybe there is breakdown in communication at ward level where they are supposed to be informed about such events, especially when one of there is bestowed a deserving monument,” he added.