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Programme Director, The Premier of the Eastern Cape, Nosimo Balindlela, Members of Parliament and the Provincial Legislature, The Honourable Executive Mayor of the Nelson Mandela Metro, Nceba Faku, Members of the NEC, PEC and REC, Friends and Comrades, Family Members,
We are gathered here today to remember and pay tribute to our heroes and martyrs of our struggle, Comrades Vuyisile Mini, Wilson Khayingo and Zinakile Mkaba, who were executed on that fateful day of 6 November 1964, as well as Nolali Mpentse, Daniel Ndongeni and Samuel Jonas who later followed them to the gallows.
The freedom we celebrate on 27 April each year came at an immense price. Today`s ceremony is a reminder of that fact, and makes us reflect on the sacrifices of our comrades who paid the ultimate price for freedom. We today join their families in celebrating their lives and their selfless contribution to our struggle and to our country.
Let me begin by congratulating the community of Port Elizabeth and the Eastern Cape province for not forgetting those who made our freedom possible. It is very easy to forget where we come from, as we enjoy our freedom.
Comrades and friends, I am sure that for most people in this region and beyond, memories of Cde Mini include the fact that he was a singer and a composer of great pedigree, and took the struggle for liberation to the choirs that he used to sing in.
During the Defiance Campaign he also composed songs that greatly inspired other freedom volunteers during that period among them the song "Mayihambe le vangeli, Mayigqib`ilizwe lonke" (let this gospel spread and be known worldwide).
This mixture of music and struggle also symbolized the spirit of the times, the 1950`s are still known as the period of greatest musical compositions and creativity among the oppressed people of our country.
Comrades Mini, Mkaba and Khayingo went to the gallows singing freedom songs that Cde Mini had composed and greatly inspired other prisoners, displaying great courage and strength in the face of adversity.
When we honour Comrades Mini, Khayingo, Zinakile Mkaba, Mpentse, Ndongeni and Jonas, it is imperative upon us to reflect on the legacy that they left us. Their execution 40 years ago at the hands of the brutal apartheid hangmen, was a turning point for the people and the liberation movement in our country, and the ANC and MK in particular.
The execution was one of the most serious indications that our struggle had reached a point of no return, in the new phase of the armed struggle. It took place four years after our liberation movement was banned, its leaders incarcerated and many more forced into exile.
With the adoption of the policy of armed struggle at the end of 1961, our people had already taken a firm resolution which said "Freedom or Death", and firmly believed that no matter how difficult the struggle was at the time, "Victory was Certain".
This period reflected the spirit of defiance and a deep sense of commitment and sacrifice, which permeated the liberation movement at the time, as well as a firm resolution that our people under the leadership of the ANC had undertaken to free themselves from the yoke of apartheid oppression, by all possible means, regardless of the consequences.
This same spirit of defiance and determination was also reflected in the Manifesto of Umkhonto we Sizwe when it was formed in 1961.
It declared that:
"The people`s patience is not endless. The time comes in the life of any nation where there remains only two choices - submit or fight. That time has now come in South Africa. We shall not submit and we have no choice but to hit back by all means within our power in defence of our people, our future and our freedom."
All MK cadres were inspired and guided by this heroic and historic declaration, through all generations of MK. The fearlessness, commitment and dedication we displayed were deeply rooted in our belief that the war we were waging was just.
Members of MK distinguished themselves in many respects, and today, we can proudly say that our struggle was not without heroes or role models, through various generations.
In 1967, members of the Luthuli Detachment combined with ZAPU fighters and crossed the Zambezi into the then Rhodesia, in the Wankie Campaign. Our combatants fought gallantly against the combined South African and Ian Smith forces.
Many of our heroes fell in this campaign, such as Peter Mhlongo, Delmas Sibanyoni, James Masimini, Basil February, Patrick Molaoa, Michael Poo, Andries Motsepe, Jack Simelane and Gandi Hlekane.
The fighting spirit of Cdes Mini, Mkaba, Khayingo, Mpentse, Ndongeni and Jonas was relived by the June 16 Detachment, a product of the 1976 Soweto Uprising. Rather than submit, Solomon Mahlangu, Jerry Mosololi, the Marcus Motaung and Simon Mogoerane went to the gallows, living up to the MK pledge, Victory or Death.
We also recall the vibrancy of the 80s generation, despite the intensification of repression during this period. Many cadres were killed in cowardly invasions by the apartheid South African Defence Force in Matola, Maseru and elsewhere, such as Motso Mogabudi, Mduduzi Guma, Krish Rabilal, Zwelakhe Nyanda, Nomkhosi Mini the daughter of Vuyisile Mini, David Skosana, Titus Jobo and Harold Dantile and many others.
There are also those comrades who died internally in combat, comrades such as the Silverton heroes, Thami Makhuba, Wilfred Madela and Fani Mafoko, Linda Jobane, Khuduga Molokwane and Clifford Brown.
We recall and salute Barney Molokoane, one of our most outstanding field commanders, who died with Victor Khayiyane and Vincent Sekete during the attack on SASOL, Linda Khuzwayo, who fell in Ingwavuma, Livingstone Gaza, Vincent Tshabalala, Lukas Njongwe, Eldridge Yakiti, Jerry Nene, Clement Molapo and Samule Segola, and many more.
We cannot forget the hundreds of people, including children, who died in the hands of the police inside the country, and also the victims of the apartheid state-sponsored violence that engulfed our townships during the period of the state of emergency until the early 90s.
Our freedom, indeed came at the highest price. The commemoration of our six comrades today, provides an opportunity for us to reflect and to think of the legacy and lessons they left us. The first lesson is that of sacrifice, dedication and commitment. We are reminded of the hardship that people endured for believing in the ideals of the Freedom Charter, and for seeking to free themselves and their country from bondage.
There is a tendency today to forget this important lesson of our history and to take things for granted.
We dare not forget. Freedom came at the highest price.
The comrades we honour today had strong roots in the trade union movement. The special relationship between the ANC and the trade union movement was defined by the ANC President then Chief Albert Luthuli, that the "ANC is our shield and SACTU our spear".
Therefore, when we remember and honour our comrades today, we need to look at how we can further deepen the relationship of the ANC and the trade union movement, a relationship built on the blood and sweat of workers.
We must remember that while it is true that the ANC is a broad church which accommodates all classes, it still has a working class bias. That is the most fundamental and key characteristic of our liberation movement that needs to be protected and defended at all times.
Most importantly, is the imperative for us to work for unity within the ANC and unity in the Alliance. Unity is the rock upon which the ANC was founded and is our strongest weapon. Those were the values that guided our heroes and martyrs like Vuyisile Mini, Wilson Khayingo, Zinakile Mkaba, Nolali Mpentse, Daniel Ndongeni and Samuel Jonas.
Another key lesson is the clarity of purpose, strategy, vision, and consistency. These principles have kept the ANC strong and focused throughout history. It is therefore not surprising that in this 10th year of our liberation, our former arch-enemy the National Party, the very architects of apartheid, adopted the Freedom Charter and embraced the ANC and its ideals.
We would all recall that the NP government had jailed people for merely talking about the Freedom Charter, and that they are responsible for the laws and judiciary which sentenced our comrades to death.
Our struggle had never been one of hate or revenge, but one of uniting our people, and building a united, prosperous, non-racial democracy.
We are today saying to our fallen heroes that the struggle they waged and died for was just and correct. Even those responsible for their death have admitted it as such by embracing the ANC.
Our comrades are gone forever, but we will always value their contribution and sacrifice. They gave us the greatest gift of all, our freedom and democracy. Let us not disappoint them. Let us defend the freedom, our revolution and democracy with everything in our power and at our disposal.
Their spirit of sacrifice, commitment and dedication to the cause of the poor must continue to inspire us even today, as we work together, to make our country one in which every household can live a happy, stable and comfortable life.
Comrades and friends, as we battle with the struggle to eradicate poverty and underdevelopment, let me conclude with these words of wisdom from President OR Tambo, in a statement marking the anniversary of MK, on 16 December 1986, which reads thus:
"In the course of this long march we have scored great achievements. We have also made many mistakes, but we are where we are today because we have always had the capacity to learn from our mistakes as well as from our achievements; to learn from our people as they learn from us. We are born of the people. As long as we remain part of the people and move ahead with the people, victory is certain."
Long live the spirit of our comrades, Long live!
Amandla!