Today, the African National Congress, the Glorius People's Movement, lowers its banner in honour of one of its most illustrious sons, Comrade France Mofapa Mohlala, at this moment of great grief and irreparable loss to our country and its people. The unpredictable turn of events has, once more, robbed us of another People's Tribune, another Cadre of a Special Type. Comrade France was a cadre who was able to react promptly and aptly to every manifestation of apartheid tyranny whenever and wherever it took place, no matter what social stratum or class of people it affected.
Today, the Afican National Congress, the People's Vanguard Movement, joins the nation, the people of Limpopo and the Mohlala family in paying its last respects to a worthy descendant of the great warrior kings of our people, who stood firm and fought valiantly against colonial plunder and subjugation. We pay homage to this cadre of a special type, who has drunk deep of the great humanity of Bram Fischer, of the great humility of Olivier Tambo, of the wisdom of Chief Luthuli and of the foresight of the great founders of the people's liberation movement. Comrade France was steeped in the culture and traditions of our movement. The African National Congress and all freedom and peace-loving people of our country salute this gallant son of the people, and thank him for the gift of his life, that he spent generously in clearing the human forest of the serpents and demons of tribalism and racism, in turning the soil and sowing the seed of non-racialism, non-sexism and democracy, and in tending of the seeding and plants of human solidarity and people's unity.
At this definitive final moment, the African National Congress would like our country-men and women, and all the world to know, that Comrade France Mohlala was both a child and a parent of our national democratic revolution. In his youth he was chief strategist and master technician, a fearless fighter, mobiliser, educator and leader of the student youth and the youth in general in his home village of Mamotintane and the great Mankweng district.
And in 1980s as the apartheid regime drenched in blood and smothered in terror, torture and death the just rebellion of the youth, Comrade France was not cowed, but charged forth to take command of the new generation of revolutionary militants, the generation of the Roaring Young Lions. He was thus at the centre and head of many of the organs of people's power amongst the youth, such as the Congress of South African Students, the Mankweng Youth Congress, the Northern Transvaal Youth Congress, the National Youth Organisation and its successor, the South African Youth Congress.
Comrade France, son of the Great Limpopo, was also a community builder, who played a central and leading role in the founding and life of the Mankweng Civic Association, the United Democratic Front, regionally and nationally, the Northern Transvaal People's Congress and the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa.
Equally important to underline in the role played by Comrade France in our freedom crusade of the revolutionary 1980s, is the fact that at a relatively tender age of twenty, he joined the African National Congress underground and the fighting ranks of the people's army, Umkonto weSizwe, in which he became a distinguished member of the Nchabeleng Detachment and, after going into exile, he successfully completed the company commanders course under the auspicies of the Zimbabwe Defence Force. We, of the African National Congress, were proud to see Comrade France join the new South African National Defence Force and rise from the rank of Major to that of Lieutenant-Colonel by 2001.
At this definitive final moment, the African National Congress would also like to declare for all to know, that Comrade France was the best amongst equals, a great unifier that the people's movement called upon when things were falling apart in the Limpopo Legislature, entrusted with the responsibility of Chief Whip to keep the members of that Legislature focused on their work as people's delegates.
To you Comrade France, Child of the Revolution and tribune of the people know that:
The wombs of all African women trembled,
Their eyes grew red and swollen with tears
Their limbs grew weak and limp.
At the news of your untimely departure,
The maidens of South Africa wore sack-cloth, slashed
Themselves with salted whips and wailed
That one as young and as brave as you,
Should depart so soon from their midst,
The roar of the young Lions is subdued
For their mentor and role model is no more,
The tribune of our people, the Cadre of a Special Type,
Has breathed his last,
And lie lifeless before us today,
For wanton fate has connived
With the dark forces of cosmic rhythm,
To rob us of one so dear to us!
But, Tribune of our people, Cadre of a Special Type, know too that :
To celebrate your short but rich and inspiring life,
To celebrate the inner vitality of your Being -
Your genuine love and respect for your motherland and its people,
Your warm- heartedness and cool-headedness,
Your unequalled devotion, dedication and commitment to the people's cause- All of which won you respect from all and sundry
We have come here to celebrate you, Comrade
Product of the life of the oppressed and exploited,
Progeny of the most downtrodden,
You the epitome of courage and resilience
You, the stoic fighter,
For whom sacrifice had become a weapon -
A weapon of steeling one's character, And of forging and boosting the morale of comrades, Against the travails of life.
And now, Trubune of the People, our Final Goodbye-
Go tell Ngoako Ramalepe and Josephine Moshobane!
Go tell Alf Makaling and Shadrack Mafokoane!
Go tell Andrew Mehlape and Moss Manale!
Go tell Peter Mokaba and Thembi Skosana!
Go tell Peter Nchabeleng and Elias Motsoaledi!
Go tell Mark Shope and Richard Takalo!
Go tell our fallen heroes and martyrs
Go tell our warriors kings
Go tell the old man Solomon Mabina Mohlala
That the battle is still joined
For a just and better life for all
And to consummate our new - found Democracy!
Etlela hi ku rhula Comrade France!
Kha vhalale nga mulalo Comrade Mofapa!
Robala ka Khutso Comrade Mohlala
Lala ngoxolo Qabane!
20 May 2005