‘ANC deviating from values of stalwarts’
FORMER director-general of the KwaZulu-Natal government, Nhlanhla Ngidi, says the ANC is deviating from the values of late Struggle stalwart Rajes Pillay, who advocated for members to speak out.
Ngidi was speaking at a virtual memorial service for Pillay, who hailed from Durban and played a leading role in the ANC and the Natal Indian Congress during the liberation Struggle.
Pillay worked with Oliver Tambo, Yusuf Dadoo, Phyllis Naidoo, Judson Khuzwayo and Shadrack Maphumulo.
She underwent underground training and became the communications and logistics officer for ANC underground operations in Angola and eSwatini.
Other ANC stalwarts who spoke at the service included former minister and presidential spokesperson, Mac Maharaj, and ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte.
Ngidi lamented that the ANC was deviating from the values of Pillay, who advocated for members to speak out. He said at present ANC members were afraid to speak out, fearing that they would be victimised.
The Kingdom of eSwatini featured prominently during the memorial service, with former deputy minister for International Relations and Co-operation, Ebrahim Ismail Ebrahim, speaking about the dangers of working there.
Ebrahim said in one of the many conversations he had had with Pillay, she lamented that the kingdom was a “dangerous place” for exiled freedom fighters as some eSwatini police officers had collaborated with the apartheid regime to hunt them down.
“Swaziland was a very dangerous place; there was a collaboration between the South African security police and some elements in the Swazi police. People were being killed, people were being kidnapped.
“I know one house where security police knocked at the door, a woman opened the door and the police killed everyone. So Swaziland was a very dangerous place,” Ebrahim said.
However, eSwatini government spokesperson Sabelo Dlamini disputed allegations that the kingdom was not a dependable ally for South African freedom fighters.
“The positive role played by eSwatini in the fight against apartheid is well documented,” he said.