The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in the Western Cape mourns the passing of Ambassador Franklin Sonn. We wish his family, friends and comrades well during this painful period of mourning. Ambassador Sonn represented the best of South Africa and its long walk to liberation.

Sonn, born in the remote rural community of Vosburg in the Karoo and grew up in Queenstown. Despite all the adversities put in place for millions of Blacks, Coloured and Indian communities during the dark days of apartheid, Franklin proved that humanity could rise above all challenges.

He taught and led a generation of learners at Spes Bona High School in Athlone on the Cape Flats. His talents saw him rise to become the Rector of the Peninsula Technikon, now the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT).

Working with his beloved comrade and neighbour, the late Rector and Professor Jakes Gerwel at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) to not only liberate themselves from the shackles of apartheid and transform these institutions into bastions of a non-racial South Africa. They provided a safe haven for students protesting against the brutalities of the apartheid regime. Today CPUT and UWC have successfully evolved from historically disadvantaged institutions into internationally recognised centres of excellence.

At the height of the States of Emergency, Professors Sonn and Gerwel, stood side by side with the United Democratic Front and the entire liberation movement led by the African National Congress in defiance of the apartheid regime. Theirs was a calm, dignified and principled stance that did not cower in front of the most savage forms of state suppression.

Professor Sonn dedicated his life to building a democratic South Africa and did not hesitate when called upon by President Nelson Mandela to represent South Africa as its first Ambassador to the United States, a task he performed with distinction.

This year has seen South Africa’s constitutionally mandated transformation journey subjected to bombastic attacks from unashamed right wing fringe juveniles, trolling in racist nostalgia. Ambassador Sonn’s life lessons, humility and the proud embracing of a non-racial democracy; provide a powerful counterweight to such attempts to denigrate our nation. Sonn embodies the very best of our nascent democracy.

South Africa is a better place due to the life, struggles, sacrifices of Ambassador Sonn. The nation owes a debt of gratitude to this humble giant and his family for sharing this quiet son with the nation.

Hamba kahle, qawe lama qawe. Rus in vrede kameraad.

Issued by COSATU Western Cape

Malvern De Bruyn (Provincial Secretary) 060 977 9027

Motlatsi Tsubane (Provincial Chairperson) 074 482 6180