Sparrow Mkhonto still missed
HER face beams and a smile spreads from ear to ear at the mere mention of her late husband and struggle hero Sparrow Mkhonto’s name.
The day they met at a party to celebrate the winning of a soccer match at a community hall in Cradock – with Sparrow wearing a pair of tight blue jeans and a T-shirt – is etched in her memory.
Sindiswa Mkhonto, 59, shares her and Sparrow’s love story, fondly remembering their time together during a very turbulent year in the country’s history – from the late-night political meetings Sparrow attended while she stayed home looking after their young son Lonwa- bo, to the day she bid him a normal farewell as he left home to attend to political business.
Since his abduction and subsequent death in June 1985, Sindiswa has never remarried and still holds a candle for the railway worker who went on to become one of the country’s most revered struggle activists as part of the Cradock Four.
“He was such a good man. He loved children and wanted the best for them. He never wanted to see anyone living in poverty and would call people and raid the fridge to prepare food for them,” she said.
Sindiswa said when they met in the late 1960s, she did not know what to expect. She was a student at the time and her brother, Dan Gqobo, was also into politics.
“I knew Sparrow was involved in politics and I must say I was scared at first, but I learnt to get used to it. It was only a matter of time before I joined in doing what my better half was doing,” she said.
However, Sparrow seemed not to have wanted her to get too involved, especially knowing the risks associated with being politically active at the time.
She said every time he left the house, she knew there was a possibility that he would not come back.
That was precisely the case on June 27 1985, when Sparrow left Cradock with Matthew Goniwe, Fort Calata and Sicelo Mhlauli.
Her eyes well up as she remembers being told that the men had disappeared. “It still hurts,” she said.