By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The African National Congress (ANC) hosted a memorial service to celebrate the late ANC stalwart and former Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Aziz Pahad.
The struggle stalwart served on the National Executive Committee of the ANC from 1985 to 2007.
Pahad served as foreign affairs deputy minister from 1994 to 2008. He also served as an MP from 1994 to 2008.
The memorial was attended by Pahad’s wife, Professor Angina Parekh, who described him as the love of her life.
His niece, and daughter of his late brother Essop Pahad, Amina, shared some funny anecdotes of her uncle remembering him as “playful with a naughty streak”.
In delivering the eulogy at a memorial service for his friend, former president Thabo Mbeki again took the opportunity to implore the party to restore its former glory.
Mbeki said that the party’s resolution to renew itself was taken at its 2017 elective conference and again at its 2022 conference, “but nothing has been done”.
While attending Interfaith Forum of South Africa (TIFSA) conference Mbeki said he was left “very sad” to hear what religious and community leaders said about the state of governance in South Africa.
“They said the country was in crisis. That everywhere you go, it’s crisis. They spoke about a woman in the Eastern Cape who killed her three children and herself because they had no food.”
“They were not inventing stories about the level of poverty, the high crime rate, the degree of suicide among youngsters, the absence of wellness in our society. This is a signal of something going very wrong,” he said.
Mbeki relayed a common thread among people in society who believed the ANC betrayed them.
He said the ANC had not betrayed South Africans, but the party needed to account.
“The statement made that the ANC has betrayed them was incorrect, but it is an explanation the ANC must make about what has been happening in this country. One of these things has been the weakening of the ANC.”
The memorial was also attended by Pahad’s fellow comrades in the Struggle, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Lindiwe Sisulu, Ronnie Kasrils and Wally Serote among others.
Mbeki said Pahad’s death came at a difficult time for the country.
“That’s why again I say I feel very sorry that Aziz left us when he did because he was very, very ready to confront that truth and do something about it.
“Therefore, we are losing the possibility for the state to act in the interest of millions of our people who are poor and disempowered, but again, Aziz is gone. He would have been very useful as an activist to play a role in the process of the reconstruction of the democratic state.”
Pahad has been praised for the role he played during South Africa’s transition to democracy. He has also been hailed for playing a key role in shaping South Africa’s foreign affairs policy.
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Video Courtesy of MYANC.