ANC is the only way, Mabuyane tells mourners at Dwaba funeral
The ANC is the only party the people of the country can rely on.
This was a bold assertion by Eastern Cape premier and ANC provincial chair Oscar Mabuyane at the funeral of struggle stalwart Lungelo Dwaba in East London on Tuesday.
Mabuyane said the party had its shortfalls, likening it to a malfunctioning car.
“The ANC is the vehicle that doesn’t overturn but only its drivers [change], leaving the car running,” he told mourners at the Calvary Christian Centre in Quigney.
“The ANC is a party of leaders that come and go, making way for others after them.
“Ours is to take this province to another level. We are really pushing hard to ensure we take the province to a higher pedestal.
“We are doing that because we respect our [struggle stalwarts] like tat’udwaba.”
Dwaba, a Mdantsane resident, died at 83 on May 11 after a short illness.
Dwaba had been an active ANC member since the early 1960s, and was among members in the Border region who established the local structure of umkhonto we Sizwe, the ANC’S disbanded military wing, when it was formed in 1961.
He was imprisoned on Robben Island in 1964.
In 1994, Dwaba became the assistant director of human resources at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in Mdantsane — a job he did diligently until his retirement in September 2005.
Mabuyane said Dwaba was part of a generation of young men and women who took it upon themselves to fight for liberation, risking death in the process.
“As a key figure in the ANC’S underground structures, Comrade Dwaba’s bravery knew no bounds.
“As the first treasurer of the Border regional high command of umkhonto we Sizwe, he and his comrades orchestrated acts of defiance against the oppressive apartheid regime.
“Despite facing relentless state repression and enduring the hardships of a 15-year imprisonment on Robben Island, he remained steadfast, emerging as a beacon of hope for his fellow freedom fighters.
“We must remember that he was only 29 years old when he was sentenced to 15 years on Robben Island for his political activism.
“Comrade Dwaba’s life was a testament to the power of dedication and the strength of conviction.”
He described Dwaba as a value-driven member of the party who had a sense of moral duty and compassion.
“These are values we must emulate as current and future leaders of the ANC.
“Comrade Dwaba’s contributions as a political stalwart contributed to the stability we see in the ANC in this province of the Eastern Cape.
“In honouring comrade Dwaba’s memory, we must commit ourselves to the causes he held dear.
“We must renew our efforts to combat corruption, a scourge that undermines the very foundations of our democracy.
“We must stand united against factionalism in the ANC.”
Family representative, Rev Luvuyo Dwaba, said the stalwart was the pillar of their family.
“We were still looking up to him. He was a father full of wisdom. He laid down the rules and enforced them.
“He provided a sense of security among us because of his leadership and being a father in the family. He was our shield.”