Issued by African National Congress
21 January 2000
The ANC learned with shock the news of the sudden death of one of the tried and tested cadres of our movement, Comrade Mcebisi Bata.
38 year-old Comrade Bata died in the morning of Friday 21 January 2000 at the prime of his life, at Saint DomonicsHospital in East London, after a short illness. He was one of the pillars of our liberation movement on the media and communication front where he sustained the good image of our organisation in the Eastern Cape, especially during the difficult days in the run-up to the recently general elections. At the time of his death, Comrade Bata was the Provincial Media Liaison Officer of the ANC in the Eastern Cape.
An ex-combatant of our glorius army, Umkhonto we Sizwe, Comrade Bata received his military at Caculama in the Malanje Province of Angola in 1985, where he became of of our political commisars. He later received training in Radio Broadcasting in Angola. This was followed by a six months journalism course in Moscow from late 1986 to mid 1987.
Comrade Bata worked for Radio Freedom as producer and presenter of English and Xhosa programmes directed at South African listeners in Angola, Ethiopia and Zambia. In the late 1980s he also formed part of the ANC Diplomatic mission to Ethiopia and the Organisation of African Unity.
After returning from exile, Comrade Bata worked as an ANC Media Officer in the then Border Region. After the 1994 democratic elections, he was seconded to the Office of the Eastern Cape Premier to work as a media officer. In August 1994, he was deployed as an Administrator in the ANCs Organising Department at the movement's headquarters in Johannesburg. He worked here until May 1995, when he returned the the Eastern Cape where he resumed his duties, this time as Provincial Media Liaison Officer until he met his untimely death
Comrade Bata's death is a stunning blow to the ANC, more so that it comes at a time when his media and communication skills are needed most, as we prepare for the Local Government elections this year. We pledge to pick up the fallen spear and forge ahead with the noble task of serving our country and its people. May his soul rest in peace. May his glory be eternal.
Issued by Smuts Ngonyama
Head of ANC Presidency and Communications
51 Plein Street, Johannesburg.