COSATU Message of Support at Comrade Membathisi Mdladlana’s Memorial as delivered by Western Cape Secretary Malvern De Bruyn

Programme Director,

Leadership and membership of the ANC, SACP, COSATU, SADTU,

Most importantly, the family of our late leader, cde. Membathisi Mdladlana,

Thank you for allowing COSATU to share its sympathies with the loss of cde. Mdladlana.  This is a painful loss to the entire liberation movement.  This was a comrade who made his mark in so many ways.  Indeed, he was larger than life.

Ours is not only to mourn his passing, and tragically with the passings of comrades Tito Mboweni and Pravin Gordhan, recently, the loss of a generation of stalwarts; but to celebrate this wonderful man, comrade and leader. 

Cde. Mdladlana, was full of energy, passion and enthusiasm.  He fed these into all he did.  Wherever he was, his leadership was recognised and appreciated.

The Mdladlana family can be proud their son rose from Keiskammahoek, to become a leader not only of teachers and workers but to serve the nation with such distinction.

Whilst Membathisi is no more, his legacy and example remain.  He came of age during the June 1976 uprisings of learners to become a teacher and play his part in ensuring that schools become a site of liberation from the shackles of apartheid.

He was not only passionate about education but also asserting the rights of teachers.  Whilst 30 years into democracy, many have neglected and some sought to undermine the non-racial fabric of our democracy, cde. Membathisi was steadfast in his belief that ours must be a society as envisaged by the Freedom Charter.

It was precisely for this reason that cde. Membathisi was elected the first President of SADTU, uniting teachers’ unions across racial and geographic divides.

It was his negotiating skills honed as a leader of teachers that saw him play a key role in the drafting of our progressive Constitution that compels the state to tackle the legacies of the past and the inequalities of today.

It is a sad moment that cdes. Tito and Membathisi passed away so close to each other.  Their paths were so interlinked.  Cde. Tito led the drafting of the progressive labour laws passed by the ANC that today protect the rights of millions of workers. 

Cde. Membathisi took them to the next level, addressing gaps such as ensuring that a million domestic workers would be covered by Unemployment Insurance and shifting the focus to implementation to ensure workers enjoy their hard-won rights.

Mdladlana was a proud teacher, a stickler for rules and punctuality.  If you talked too long in a meeting, his eyes would become big asking if you are not concluding young man! 

He carried the aura of a principal who valued discipline but was equally the compassionate Mfundisi with a large heart.  His voice was loud, and his laugh larger.

He was a mentor to generations.  It is no accident that the likes of Mcebisi Skwatsha was once a teacher at Andile Primary School under his leadership or that comrades like Whitey Jacobs rose to play leading roles in CAYCO and the UDF. 

We are privileged to have crossed paths with this proud son of Gugulethu who made his contribution to liberate a nation.  He served with distinction and not a scandal. 

If we are to honour the legacies of the generation of cde. Membathisi, then not only must we seek to pick up his spear, but to emulate his principles and character.

We thank the family for sharing this giant with the nation for all these years.  We will be forever indebted for the Mdladlana family’s sacrifices.

We hope that the family and SADTU will find time to write the story of cde. Mdladlana for generations to come.

Rest in peace Mfundisi.  You have run your race.  Hamba kahle Mkhonto.