Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile: Eulogy at funeral of Professor Muse Nkondo
Programme Directors, Former Premier of Gauteng Mbhazima Shilowa and Mrs Anna Maluleke;
Professor Nkondo’s family, Prof Olga Nkondo and the children;
Premier of Gauteng, Mr. Panyaza Lesufi;
Premier of Limpopo, Ms Phophi Ramathuba;
Former Premier of Gauteng, Mr David Makhura;
Ministers and Deputy Ministers;
Members of the academic fraternity, in particular Prof Puleng LenkaBula from UNISA and Prof Ndanduleni Bernard Nthambeleni;
Veterans and struggle heroes and heroines;
Our Traditional Leaders here present, led by Hosi Dr Nwamitwa;
The Clergy led by Reverend TJ Mayayise;
Representatives of civil society organisations;
Fellow Mourners, Avuxeni;
The Nkondos are a household name in the South African politics, as well as throughout Southern Africa and the continent, which is why many of us have come to celebrate the life of this colossus, an intellectual, a revolutionary and a patriotic who dedicated his life to the building of the intelligentsia in our country.
Prof. Muxe Nkondo has produced great intellectuals, academics, ministers, and public servants who are today serving our country with distinction. I am equally pleased that we are sending him off at a place that he passionately supported and equally loved.
It is at this place that we took the decision that we put to rest those who have served our nation with distinction. It is here that we have agreed that we spend quality time with those who have left us.
The Freedom Park Momument to us represents our heroes acre and sacred space. Hence while we agree that families can bury their loved ones in any place they choose to but we have agreed that it is here where we shall gather and speak to our forebears.
Together with Prof Nkondo, Barbara Masekela, Prof Kgostisle, Wally Serote, and many others we also agreed that we should link the Freedom Park and the Voortrekker Monument. This we did because we knew the importance of preserving our collective memory as a people. It is the wisdom of Prof Nkondo and many that today we do not have an identity crisis and because of them we can proudly say we are Africans, and ours is to build a nation that is non-racial, non-sexist, democratic, united and prosperous society.
Programme Directors, having said that I also want to point out that like many of you I am not here by coincidence; I have been part of the Nkondo’s for an extended period. I grew up under the guidance of Bra Curtis Nkondo, who served both our movement and the South African people with distinction in the Gauteng provincial legislature. By virtue of being a member of this family, I also had the opportunity to have Prof. Nkondo deliver a speech and bless our union during my wedding celebration.
During my tenure as Deputy Minister and later as Minister of Arts and Culture, I had the honour of working with distinguished individuals who were passionately devoted to accelerating our country's transformation. These include Dr. Brigalia Bam, Barbara Masekela, Nadine Gordimer, Wally Serote; the late National Poet Laureate Professor Keorapetse Kgositsile, and Prof Nkondo, to whom, we pay tribute today. As a novice in the arts, creative and heritage sector, I depended on the profound wisdom of these eminent individuals who have made significant contributions to the society.
As we have gathered here today to lay to rest Professor Muxe Nkondo, I am pleased to have worked closely with this exceptional individual, a defender of human rights and an extraordinary advocate for social cohesion and unity.
In one of his addresses at the Arts and Culture Summit "Mzansi's Golden Economy," Prof. Muxe Nkondo, the Chair of the National Library, pointed out that:
“Caring for the other, for instance, is the basis of connection, intimacy, openness, respect, and social cohesion. He goes on to say that a healthy culture persists, not as a collection of technical processes but as a certain quality of social bonds and as a certain disposition towards the other.”
These words have become deeply engraved in my mind, as I served as the minister of Arts and Culture. Even to this day, I still hold firm in my belief that we must prioritise the well-being of one another. We must promote respect and build a society that is socially inclusive and cohesive.
We must further undertake the task of establishing high-quality bonds that unite us as individuals. These relationships should be founded on the principle of interdependence, where one's existence is intertwined with the existence of others—you are because I am.
Professor Nkondo understood the appeal as inscribed on our coat of arms in the Xam language "!ke e:/xarra//ke," which means "Diverse People Unite".
Unity is paramount!
To build unity and in particular an inclusive society it means we must resolve difficulties that beset us as a people and the slow economic growth, poverty, unemployment, and equality. It also means we must invest in the building of capable, developmental and ethical state.
I am raising these issues because one of the critical tasks we did together with Prof Nkondo was the preparation and hosting of the Social Cohesion Summit, which took place at the Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication in Kliptown, Soweto, 2012, under the theme: "Working together to create a caring and proud society."
As I recall, the theme of the conference was highly influenced by Prof. Nkondo.
The summit acknowledged that social cohesion is dependent on our society's ability to address the challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality.
Equally, the Summit instructed that we need to cohere as a society around a vision of a better South Africa, the attainment of which would not be possible if we did not work together.
As a result, to effectively address the challenges we face, we must, as Prof. had also wished, work towards implementing the recommendations of the 2030 National Development Plan (NDP). The NDP vision serves as a basis for partnerships across society to attain the South Africa of our dreams, expressively articulated in the constitution.
Furthermore, we must revisit and implement the declaration from the 2012 Kliptown summit, which includes the following:
- To build capacity to advance the country's socioeconomic agenda, including bringing young people and women into the workforce, hiring professionals, investing in skills needed by the economy, and investing in research and development to meet the demands of the knowledge economy.
- To promote and preserve all indigenous cultures and knowledge
- To ensure that social cohesion and nation building underpin all national, provincial, and local government strategic priorities, inclusive of integrated economic and social development, education, health, human settlement, land and rural development, safety and security, and immigration policies and programmes.
- To continue to fight any forms of discrimination.
As Professor Nkondo staunchly advocated during his lifetime, we must persist in combating all manifestations of discrimination, as they pose a significant risk to social cohesion and nation building.
Social cohesion is critical because it represents the level of social integration and inclusion within communities and society, as well as the extent to which individuals and groups demonstrate mutual solidarity.
A cohesive community has the potential to reduce inequalities that are based on ethnicity, gender, class, nationality, age, disability, or other distinctions that cause divisions, distrust, and conflict. Community members and citizens can actively participate in achieving shared goals to improve living conditions for all and fostering unity.
As a society, comprising individuals with varied origins, histories, languages, cultures, and religions, it is necessary that we collaborate as equals. We must be intentional about promoting the values of our constitution to eradicate past divisions and injustices
Fellow Mourners,
We have always known that, no political democracy can survive and flourish if the masses of our people remain in poverty, without land, without tangible prospects for a better life. Hence, attacking poverty and deprivation has remained high on the agenda of the ANC led government.
In this regard, as we take on the responsibility of leading South Africa into the future, let us strive to follow the example of Prof Nkondo and ensure that his legacy continues to illuminate the lives of those he motivated and influenced. We should ensure that his legacy inspires future generations to continue the struggle for a more just and equitable society. This is also the objective of the Government of National Unity (GNU).
I am confident that Prof. Nkondo would have concurred with my assertion that the establishment of GNU is a significant development in our democracy in that it brought different political parties to work together to build a country of our dreams.
We will therefore make every attempt to ensure that the ANC led GNU succeeds in the implementation of the three strategic priorities, which is inclusive economic growth and job creation; maintain and optimise social wage and build a capable, ethical and developmental state.
We are alive to the reality that the success of GNU is contingent upon our collective leadership's ability to collaborate in a manner that is mutually beneficial to our people rather than competitive.
In the same spirit of collaboration from various sectors of society, we had hoped to include Professor Nkondo's insights as we prepare to hold the National Dialogue, which Former President Mbeki raised here in Freedom Park and subsequent to that President Cyril Ramaphosa announced during his inaugural address that indeed the country would hold a national dialogue.
The National Dialogue will be a critical platform that puts together all parties—civil society, labour, business, and other formations—to devise a strategic solution to critical challenges facing the nation. We believe that the dialogue will get a consensus on the actions required to move the country forward. It will enhance our pressing task of rebuilding social cohesion.
Ladies and gentlemen, as we mourn the Prof. Nkondo we must also commit to continuing the work that he was so enthusiastic about. Prof Nkondo, was a truly multifaceted individual, whose contributions were exceptional in a wide range of disciplines, such as science and technology, higher education, arts and culture, public administration, human settlements, tourism, and rural development.
As the ANC led Government, we are fully dedicated to preserving the principles he championed and carrying forward his legacy of empowering individuals through education, skill development, and fostering the spirit of entrepreneurship.
Furthermore, we will not deviate from our mission to enhance and transform the lives of communities in rural and marginalised regions. Prof Nkondo, during his time at the University of Venda, was passionate about promoting rural development and integrating it with the social context.
He also advocated for a university agenda that focused on science, technology, and innovation to address urgent developmental challenges like water security, food production, sanitation, small business development, and cultural development. In these efforts, Prof. Nkondo actively collaborated with local communities.
Through our District Development Model (DDM), we will continue to work in a coordinated fashion with communities and various spheres of government to address service delivery challenges. Our objective is to utilise DDM to enable both citizens and governments to promote development with a focus on achieving high standards and full service to society.
Moreover, Prof. Nkondo emphasised the significance of acknowledging African liberation as a comprehensive journey that involves not just overcoming political disempowerment but also achieving cultural, socio-economic, and intellectual freedom.
The values he propounded are also among the goals of our National Development Plan (NDP) 2030. Hence, it is important for all members of society to collectively exert concerted effort in order to guarantee the implementation of practical measures that will expedite the attainment of the NDP objective.
Additionally, as one of the influential Vice-Chancellors during the formative years of our higher education system, he played a pivotal role in navigating the complex landscape of change. Throughout his illustrious career, he taught us valuable lessons about the importance of perseverance, dedication, and passion in everything we undertake.
Let me conclude by extending my deepest condolences to the family of Professor Muxe Nkondo, including his wife, Prof. Olga Nkondo, his children, as well as his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Allow me to offer solace through the words found in the book of second Timothy 4:7, which says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith”.
I can confidently state that Professor Nkondo has run a good race through his significant contributions to the political and intellectual landscape.
Onge moya wa yena wu nga wisa hi ku rhula!
I thank you.
