Tributes for rebel poet
Friends and former colleagues pay respects to Sandile Dikeni
FRIENDS, former colleagues and acquaintances of poet, writer and columnist Sandile Dikeni said his death over the weekend was like losing him for the second time.
Dikeni, 53, died at about 7.30pm on Saturday in hospital. In 2005 he survived a horrific crash on the N1 between Bloemfontein and Joburg that left four people dead. But he was never the same person again.
Dikeni’s sister Nomonde, who had been taking care of him since the accident, said: “For the past month Sandile has been very sick. We as a family are struggling to come to terms with his death. We as a family lost a pillar in 2005 after the accident.
“We want to extend our gratitude to all the friends who have sent messages of condolence from all over the country and those who paid their respects at home. Dikeni’s brother, Charlie, is not doing well after a recent stroke and I’m still taking care of him.”
Dikeni had an extensive career in the arts and his writing has been published in The Daily Telegraph in London and New Observations in New York. He enrolled to study law at the University of the Witwatersrand and later at UWC, but his studies were interrupted by the adverse political climate in South Africa during the Struggle.
From the dawn of democracy he worked as a journalist and political commentator. He was also spokesperson for then housing minister, Lindiwe Sisulu.
Ryland Fisher, the former editor of the Cape Times and author of the book Race, said: “I’ve known him since the 1980s as a rebel poet. One of his poems, Guava Juice, referred to throwing petrol bombs at the police.
“There was a lot of criticism when I appointed him as arts editor at the Cape Times. At that time the Cape Times was 90% white. He did an amazing job. After the accident it was really difficult for Sandile and he suffered memory loss.”
Fisher added: “He was my friend and I had spent hours debating with him.
“To see him like this was very sad. This is when I posted a picture of him on Facebook when his was young, and that’s how I want to remember him.”
Obed Zilwa, a photographer for US news agency Associated Press, said: “It was like losing Sandile for the second time. His poem Ag sies Bayasonyanyisa
(you make us sick) is one that I’ll always remember.”