MK vet loses long cancer struggle

THE memorial service for former Umkhonto Wesizwe underground operative, Ntsikelelo “Demi” Sikobi, will take place at the Gompo Hall in Duncan Village this afternoon.

This after Sikobi, a former Duncan Village Residents’ Association (DVRA) activist, died on February 14 after a long battle with prostate cancer.

His son, Nkosinathi, yesterday said his father died peacefully in his sleep at his Duncan Village home on Valentine’s Day.

Nkosinathi said his father would be buried on Saturday in the township where he was born 69 years ago.

Sikobi grew up in Duncan Village’s Mzonyane Street, before relocating to nearby Ziphunzana location in 1958.

He was the fourth child of the late Qudalele and Lawukazi Maria Sikobi (neé Mbotini).

His close friend and longtime comrade Mandla Gxanyana yesterday described Sikobi as “an extremely kind and warmhearted person, who was always accommodating and willing to assist in any situation.

“He was specially protective of the weak and the poor and hated injustice.

“He was educated in the schools of Duncan Village and assuming a discreet street wise [intelligence], he reacted strongly to the repression of the apartheid government under PW Botha and was very active in United Democratic Front structures at the time [1980s].

“He became involved in the mobilisation of internal forces using the civic organisation, the DVRA, to advance his revolutionary zeal,” said Gxanyana.

He said that while Sikobi was an MK underground operative, he worked closely with liberation struggle giants such as the late Steve Tshwete, Malcomess Mgabela and Skenjana Roji.

“In 1984 he joined the military wing of the ANC, Umkhonto Wesizwe, working on the underground structures inside South Africa under the command of Comrade Roji.

“He used to cross the borders of the country from time to time to Lesotho where he did his basic military training in weapons and grenade handling and also acted as a courier transporting banned literature to South Africa.

“As a result of his activities he was in and out of prison during the state of emergency, and was held without trial for lengthy periods of time,” said Gxanyana.

Sikobi is survived by his wife Nomalizo, three children and three grandchildren. —