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Cosatu mourns the passing away of a gallant fighter, Dr Gabriel Mkhumane 03-04-08 |
COSATU mourns the passing away of a gallant fighter, Dr Gabriel Mkhumane
The sound of a gun has put an end to the life of one of the most outstanding sons of the Swazi revolution, Dr Gabriel Mkhumane, the Deputy President of the Swaziland democratic liberation movement, PUDEMO.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions conveys its sincerest condolences to his family and all his close comrades in the Swazi liberation movement led by PUDEMO.
Dr Gabriel Mkhumane was killed in Nelspruit on the night of 1 April around 22h00 as he was dropping a colleague at Likazi township. He was from a meeting that finished very late at night and had just parted with his very close comrade, Boy Mkhatshwa, also a PUDEMO member.
His death is a mystery. It seems more than just a crime, and hence we agree with the fears raised around the circumstances of his killing. It seems the Swazi regime may have a case to answer, if the statement by the Swazi police to his mother in 2006 is anything to go by, when they openly threatened her that "since your son is causing trouble, he will come back in a coffin".
Dr Gabriel's death comes at a time when he himself had begun to raise concerns around his security, owing to strange movements, surveillances and suspect indicators.
He addressed the COSATU march on Swaziland and Zimbabwe on 7 March in Pretoria so eloquently that he put forward an unquestionably compelling case for more solidarity with the people of Swaziland.
Dr Gabriel left Swaziland in 1984, as he was part of the ANC underground machinery that operated from the eastern part of the country, at the same time being a PUDEMO underground operative. The intensification of the apartheid security onslaught against the ANC and its cadres led to himself and his closest comrades being forced to skip the country into exile in Mozambique, where he underwent some difficulties due to the then situation there posed by the RENAMO insurgent activities.
He was then assisted by the UN to go and study medicine in Cuba, which he completed successfully before coming back to Mozambique and practising as a doctor. In 2001, the PUDEMO leadership redeployed him to South Africa to lead the movement, particularly to re-establish a strong PUDEMO presence not only in South Africa, but throughout the whole of Africa. He was then assigned by PUDEMO to the position of Chief Representative for Africa and the Caribbean, owing to his vast experience with that part of the world too.
Working together with other comrades, he established a very strong PUDEMO presence and was instrumental in raising the profile of the Swazi people's struggle in South Africa and beyond. Many people in our country owe their understanding or general appreciation of the Swazi struggle to this gallant son of the heroic Swazi people. He never tired from persuading even the most difficult amongst us to appreciate the urgency of the Swazi question.
He also participated in the last COSATU Congress as part of the PUDEMO delegation, together with the President of PUDEMO, Mario Masuku, and interacted with comrades about the developments in Swaziland.
In 2006 December, he was elected Deputy President of PUDEMO at their historic Congress held in Mpumalanga, where the movement adopted its historic revolutionary programme - the Road Map to a new and democratic Swaziland. He was instrumental as part of the team that developed it and was always passionate about it as an instrument for moving towards liberation for the Swazi people.
Just last week, he was very pivotal in steering the discussions about the process towards the formation of a Swaziland United Democratic front, in a meeting of all progressive organisations of Swaziland that took place in Johannesburg. He surely left an indelible mark in minds of all the Swazi patriots gathered there as his message echoed at all times - that unity is the most precious weapon of the oppressed in struggle.
He was a humble and modest, yet a firmly principled and dedicated cadre. Many of us in South Africa admired him and felt inspired by his exemplary leadership, which was characterised by less talk and more concrete action on the ground. He symbolised the best in Cuban traditions: selflessness, dedication, courageous and firmness in principle.
His death should mark a new era of intensification of the Swazi struggle in pursuit of the ideals for which he stood to the end.
We continue to pledge our fullest solidarity with the struggling people of Swaziland, workers and the oppressed in particular. We shall honour the memory of this gallant fighter with a renewed sense of urgency and commitment to what he stood and died for.
Patrick Craven (National Spokesperson)
Congress of South African Trade Unions
1-5 Leyds Cnr Biccard Streets
Braamfontein, 2017
P.O. Box 1019
Johannesburg, 2000
SOUTH AFRICA
Tel: +27 11 339-4911/24
Fax: +27 11 339-5080/6940/ 086 603 9667
Cell: 0828217456
E-Mail: patrick@cosatu.org.za