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Celebration of 90 yearsof the  life of Revolutionary
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Speeches and Media Releases
 Premier's Office

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 EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT
 SPEECH BY PREMIER STOFILE ON THE CELEBRATION OF  90 YEARS OF THE LIFE OF A REVOLUTIONARY  CDE GOVAN MVUNYELWA A. MBEKI (OOM GOV)
ON THE 8TH JULY 2000



THESE FREEDOMS WE SHALL FIGHT FOR, SIDE BY SIDE, THROUGHOUT OUR LIVES, UNTIL WE HAVE WON OUR LIBERTY

(Closing sentence of the Freedom Charter)

This is exactly what Oom Gov has been doing for more than half of his life.For more than sixty years!!

Even the slowest of wit must agree this is an outstanding innings.The longest known innings for any member or leader of the African 
National Congress.Oom Gov deserves a huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

The history of the South Africa of Oom Govs life is well documented. The atrocities perpetrated by different regimes before 1994 through 
the Law, the gun, the sjambok, the dog and the rope must have left unimaginable scars, memories and trauma in the memory, bodies and souls 
of people like Oom Gov.But he has never showed such effects for once. He keeps them to himself.Can any of us imagine what sort of dreams he 
has at night ? We can only surmise.

For this reason we must say a Big Thank You to this leader for his Huge Contribution to our Freedom.We are told that without a 
revolutionary theory there can be no revolutionary movement since revolutionary democracy is an ideological trend.It is this ideological 
and political cohesion of our democratic movement which makes the ANC to stand as the leader of our people, our neighbours and of the 
world. Without clear-minded ideologues and leaders like Oom Gov, I dare say, the ANC would long have changed its character and lost its 
integrity.

In any organization or institution we find different types of leaders.There are those who are the face and the voice of the 
organization.But there are also those who become the brains and the engine of the organization.The rhythm section of the organization.Oom 
Gov belongs to the latter category.You wont find his brilliance and intellectual depth in the media.You will find it when you scrutinize 
the organization.

I am sure very few people know what position Oom Gov held in the High Command in Rivonia.Fewer still will have heard about his role in the 
Lobatsi Conference of the ANC in 1962.One of the most respected units of MK is that of the Vuyisile Minis, Mkhabas, Khayinganas and 
all.But is it only when the full history of our Revolution is told that Oom Govs association with these fighters will be told.He is not a 
MDUNYELWA.He is a MDANJELWApar excellence!

He has been an organizer, a political educator, an analyst, a rigorous commander and a taskmaster.But he is also a warm person, a great 
friend and a loving parent.Oom Gov is a great writer and an unforgetting story-teller.We are a fortunate nation to have great statespersons 
like him in this period of such huge challenge posed by the imperative to transform our country into a truly free, democratic, non-racial 
and non-sexist country.Such stalwarts continue to be our source of inspiration, the

conscience of the organization and the country and our valuable reservoir of knowledge and wisdom.We must cherish them and look well after 
them.

As you are aware, Oom Gov, political freedom without economic emancipation is not enough.Poverty, unemployment and good education are some 
of the challenges that continue to stare us in the face.Now they are joined by the biggest threat to our very existence, the scourge of 
HIV/AIDS.I believe that in the end we will defeat even these challenges.

But what is demoralizing is how our own people seem to understand the meaning of the freedom you led us in fighting for.The collapse of 
discipline in our schools is making the lives of both learners and educators very unsafe.This impacts negatively on attempts to improve the 
quality of education.University students and civil servants are forging certificates, people demand posts for which they dont qualify, 
theft of old age pensions is rampant, new forms of crime and syndicates crop up everywhere in our country.Yes, the moral fibre of our 
communities seems to be falling apart.

Let us assure you, Sir, that these challenges are not bigger than our resolve and capacity to rid our society of all of them.When you walk 
on the beach taking in the fresh sea breeze, take courage in the knowledge of the fact that you have reproduced

yourself a thousand times.We SHALL finally overcome.We pray that this happens during your life time still.Then we can come

before you and show our slates.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

REV. M.A. STOFILE
 PREMIER : EASTERN CAPE

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