In 1987,
he joined the then Commercial and Catering Workers Union of South Africa
(today SACCAWU) as a volunteer. This provided him with the necessary revolutionary
grounding in an organised workers’ movement, his acid test in the struggle
for liberation. He passed the test. Pinky was a leader of the calibre
the union movement was looking for - committed to building worker unity,
worker control, leadership within the Federation and democracy for a future
South Africa.
He found it very difficult to abandon his revolutionary
voluntary unpaid commitment and take-up a paid job but in 1989 he joined
the Chemical Workers Industrial Union (today part of CEPPWAWU) as an organiser,
and, due to his sharp organisational and leadership skills, was elected
as the Eastern Cape branch secretary.
At CWIU he was respected by both workers and employers
because of his skilful negotiating capabilities. He held this position
until in 1997 he was recruited to lead COSATU as the Eastern Cape Regional
Secretary, a position he held until his untimely death.
His major task in COSATU was to maintain its unity and
focus. Under his leadership the Regional Executive Committee grew from
strength to strength, heralding successful battles against capital, from
the job losses campaign to the anti-privatisation campaign. Pinky's leadership
collective marshalled the 200 000 members in the province to deliver a
victorious vote for the ANC in 1999 and again in the 2000 local government
elections.
Between 1997 until his departure, Pinky and his leadership
collective ensured that COSATU has a presence in every corner of the province.
His negotiating skills ensured COSATU a diligent and meticulous leadership
in the provincial public sector union disputes during 2000 and 2001.
Pinky's strategic and pragmatic skills saw COSATU intervening
decisively in developing the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy
(PGDS). He was deployed in various policy development institutions, where
he championed policies to ensure poverty alleviation and development of
a peoples' economy.
He was a founder member of the Eastern Cape Socio-Economic
Consultative Council (ECSECC), whose mandate was to bring together stakeholders
in the economic development of the province. He was appointed a member
of ECSECC’s first Board of Directors in 1999,
where he consistently defended the rights of the workers and the rural
population to development. He was also involved in the East London Industrial
Development Zone, a government venture for the economic upliftment of
the area.
His work within the union movement saw him grow from
a humble student to a diligent volunteer, a militant activist and eventually
a revolutionary leader, seasoned in the art of mobilisation and organisation
of the working class. But he never conducted his revolutionary political
work in isolation from the task of consolidating united mass action, in
both factories and in townships, under the democratic leadership of the
ANC.
In 1998 he married Mantri Felicia Sebati, the daughter
of Simon and Gladys Sebati of Vosloorus, and they were blessed with a
son, Tabiso. He is survived by his mother, wife, son Tabiso (2 years),
Cwenga (4 years) and Sandisiwe (10 years), his five brothers and four
sisters. The federation has sent its condolences to them all and to the
hundreds of comrades who knew and loved him.
Summing up Pinky’s contribution, Zwelinzima Vavi said
at the funeral:
“The comrade,
who today lies motionless, made an immeasurable contribution to the struggle
for the emancipation of African people and the working class. He refused
to be shaken by the might of the apartheid state. Though harassed by the
police for his commitment to the struggle he stood his ground and remained
steadfast in his belief that freedom will come in our lifetime.
“Today, South
Africa is a free society thanks to the contribution of comrades of Pinky’s
calibre. We are now eight years into our new democratic society. Pinky
lived to see the dawn of the society that he fought for. His struggle
and that of his comrades was not in vain – it led to the installation of the democratic government in 1994.
“Comrade Pinky
is no more – his remains lie motionless, lifeless. He will be missed by all of us.
His intellect, wit and determination shall be missed by all of us. I will
miss his support and advice. He joins many of our martyrs of the revolution.
His spirit shall live on – his lessons shall continue to inspire many of us and those still to come.
“Comrade Pinky was a die-hard communist to the
end. He was unwavering in the belief that a workers’ state will one day
become a reality. It is this vision that has inspired him to remain true
to the working class movement. When there is a battle along class lines
you knew which side of the equation he belonged to. He understood that
the working class shall never be free until it has shaken off the chain
of bourgeois exploitation.
“It shall never
be free until socialism and ultimately communism is achieved. Many today
are ashamed to be associated with communism. Pinky - true to his character
- held his head high and defended his commitment to communism and the
workers’ cause.
“He leaves behind
a solid COSATU regional organisation in the Eastern Cape, which he unfailingly
served for many years. He, together with the Eastern Cape leadership of
COSATU, ANC and SACP, has built a shining example of how the tripartite
alliance should work. The example set by these comrades should be emulated
by all of us.”
LALANGOXOLO NYAWUZA !!!
