The Congress of South African Trade Unions mourns the passing of Comrade Joe Modise and salutes the life of this gallant and a tireless fighter for freedom and democracy. We send our deepest condolences to his family and the entire leadership and membership of the ANC on behalf of our two million members.
Comrade Joe Modise was a true hero of our National Democratic Revolution. He dedicated all his adult life to a struggle to free humanity from the yoke of apartheid and colonial oppression. He symbolises the sacrifices that millions of our people were prepared to make to restore the dignity and respect for all – black and white. He led the struggle with humour, dignity and was always prepared to lay down his own life for the ideals of freedom.
Comrade Joe Modise was lucky to witness the fruits of his sacrifices when South Africa was freed from apartheid. He served as the Defence Minister in the democratic government, a task he fulfilled with distinction. Although, South Africa still faces many challenges, the life of the oppressed masses will change for the better. Under his stewardship as a member of our first cabinet millions of our people began to have access for the first time to necessities such a clean running water, electricity, health, education, etc. Workers of our country salute his contribution to the struggle for a better life for all. COSATU will never forget the selfless contributions of the longest serving commander of the people´s army – Umkhonto wesiZwe. For close to three decades comrade Joe Modise spent his life in foreign soil, in a most dangerous mission and as one of the primary targets of the apartheid army. He served his role as commander of MK with distinction until the ANC was unbanned. He also played a pivotal role in the negotiated settlement and integration of the armed forces.
Comrade Joe Modise´s contribution has not been in vain. We salute this giant freedom charter and thank him for the immense contribution to the struggle for our freedom.
His brief biography Comrade Joe Modise was born in Doornfontein on May 23 1929 of working-class parents and educated at the Fred Clark Memorial School, Nancefield.
He was drawn into struggle by the destruction of Sophiatown in 1953 and the anti-pass campaign. He was one of the 156 activists charged in the lengthy Treason Trial which started in 1956, but the charges were later dropped.
Like hundreds of other young militants he believed all avenues for peaceful struggle were closed and that the only alternative left was to take up arms against the apartheid regime.
Cde. Joe was a founding member of the Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), serving on its high command since its inception in 1961. He participated in its very first operations and was charged with the establishment of MK infrastructure in the regions (particularly Natal and the Eastern and Western Cape). He spent two years working underground, setting up MK cells and sending recruits out the country for military training.
The high command instructed him to go into exile early in 1963. His task was to get training himself, to oversee training of recruits sent out of the country and their safe return, and to arrange ordinance supplies from the socialist bloc to the liberation movement. He was based in Tanzania.
He underwent training in the then Czechoslovakia in mid- 1963 and later in the Soviet Union. He was a key figure in winning acceptance of MK by several African governments. By 1965 the seven top MK commanders inside South Africa had been arrested at Rivonia. Wilton Mkwayi took over the leadership of MK. After his arrest in 1965, Comrade Joe Modise was appointed army commander, a position he retained until the ANC was unbanned.
In 1994 he became the first Minister of Defence in the government of national unity in the new democratic South Africa. Even before the establishment of the Convention for a Democratic South Africa, Comrade Joe Modise had engaged in talks on the integration of MK and the former South African Defence Force and he successfully headed the MK delegation during formal negotiations on the formation of the South African National Defence Force.
The success of these negotiations, in which he played a leading role, led to the peaceful integration of seven former armies of liberation and conventional armed forces into a military force of international standards, a feat for which there is no parallel in military history.
Comrade Joe Modise was responsible for creating a loyal, stable, unified and professional South African National Defence Force - one that has become increasingly representative of the population and credible and legitimate in the eyes of our people.
COSATU salutes a hero of the struggle – Hamba Kahle!