Makama grew up in Struggle
Legislature loses skilled servant
Born: June 19, 1964
Died: April 16, 2017
Funeral Service: Tomorrow, at Sam Tambane Welfare Centre, Zone 9 Meadowlands at 8.30am
Burial: Doornkop Cemetery Comrade Sipho “Mshefane” Makama, 52, passed on during Passover church service on Sunday, April 16.
The member of the Gauteng provincial legislature was born in Alexandra. He grew up in Meadowlands, Soweto, where he completed matric at KwaMahlobo Senior Secondary School.
Recruited into Congress of SA Students in 1979, Makama became a member of the Soweto coordinating committee.
He joined Soweto Youth Congress and was appointed deputy chairman of the local branch
Having spent 18 months at the Johannesburg Prison in the mid-1980s, Makama was drawn into the underground structures of MK, the armed wing of the ANC.
He re-established Cosas, formed street committees, became a member of the Soweto area committee of the United Democratic Front.
In the late 1980s he studied at the University of Western Cape where he became active in student bodies Sansco and Sasco.
In 1990, he began serving in the ANC Youth League in Soweto, in various capacities such as sub-regional secretary, regional secretary and provincial secretary .
In 2000, he was elected as chairman of ANC Sam Tambane branch and served two terms.
He played an instrumental role in continental structures such as the Southern Africa Development Community Organisation of Public Accounts Committees and Organisation of Public Accounts Committees (Afropac).
He was redeployed by the ANC to the Gauteng legislature as a member and appointed to a number of committees, and also functioned as a whip for National Council of Provinces.
Comrade Makama was also a sport fanatic and played football and softball. He also enjoyed a game of blackball pool and chess, which he learnt during his imprisonment.
He is survived by his wife Florence Ramosana, four children, Lebohang, Kamogelo, Katleho and Koketso.
Etlela hi ku rhula Ribye leri kulu! Makamu kanyi! Thwala!