30 August 2001
We learnt with shock this morning that one of the working class combatant and theoretician has passed away. We join millions of South Africans in mourning this tragic loss.
Comrade Govan dedicated his life and strength towards one of the noblest struggle, the liberation of human race from all forms discrimination and exploitation.
Comrade Govan as a communist intellectual he always so his life in terms of advancing national liberation and socialism. He saw these two as distinct but organically linked, the national liberation can never be met without moving uninterruptedly towards socialism.
His incisive theoretical insight and contributions in the 40´s to the 90´s have indeed contributed towards the theoretical clarity in the ANC, SACP and labour movement.
This decisive theoretical formulation was not always easy to arrive at and conceptualise in the earlier period of the struggle, but he was amongst the first communists who grasped this dialectical relationship between national liberation and struggle to overthrow capitalism barbarism.
He never at any point doubted the central and leading role working class and the communist party will play in this struggle.
At the time while some sections of the liberation movement were concerned with petitioning to the Queen in Britain, seeking a slice for educated blacks , he was already speaking language of a struggle lead primarily by African working class, at the time the African working class was still small, towards National Liberation and socialism.
It is often argued by bourgeoisie scholars and social commentators that radical approaches to liberation of humanity is limited to youth and middle age, but the older you get the more realistic and conservative you become. Comrade Govan was a militant to the last day.
In fact events during his life including the era of post 1994 democratic breakthrough confirmed/s that capitalism is the ultimate enemy of the working class, peasants and other oppressed peoples even if you successfully removed the Apartheid government
He always affirmed that you can never really meet all peoples needs within framework of capitalist mode of production and social relations no matter how committed and well intentioned you are.
Comrade Govan knew that the National Democratic stage of our revolution implies that working class leaders will occupy bourgeoisie parliament and other state machinery but he always recognised that these institutions by and large reproduces capitalist social relations. He therefore always looked at these institutions as a terrain of struggle not destination. Within the capitalist society working class organisations and its representatives in structures of power will begin to gradually but firmly undermine capitalism and put forward socialist solutions. Socialist solutions in themselves are not antagonistic to the cause of National liberation.
Nehawu will continue to advance and defend the legacy left by comrade Govan. Lala ngoxolo gallant hero of the working class.