“An intellectual of note and humble servant”

Date: 19 March 2015   Read: 2793

Sunday, 15 March, left Limpopo Province and South Africa in general poorer due to the tragic car crash that saw us losing one of the brilliant leaders of the people, Collins Chabane. To some of us who were privileged to work very closely with him, it was a very serious blow that left a gap that will remain for ever.

Cde Collins was to me more than a comrade, a brother, mentor and a family friend that I have known for about 25 years in various capacities, including in structures of the ANC while I was the regional secretary of the then Limpopo region and with him being the provincial secretary. My wife keeps on reminding me what he said at my wedding 17 years ago that "Cde Tseli is already married to the ANC and you must be prepared to be the second wife". I suspect those are the words that continue to keep my family together. That is why, on Sunday morning, when one of our friend broke the sad news, we found both of us devastated, with no one to console the other.

I also worked with Min Chabane as media liaison officer and his spokesperson in the Departments of Public Works and Economic Development, Environment and Tourism Limpopo between 2004 and 2009, and in May 2014, I joined him in parliament as a colleague in the National Assembly. His legacy speaks for itself in the province, especially the numerous awards Public Works won under his leadership as the best performing department, setting up the provincial administration of Limpopo from scratch as MEC in the Premier's Office and the Ministry of Performance, Monitoring and Evaluation in the Presidency within a very short space of time after his appointment in 2009.

An intellectual of note and a humble servant of the people who preferred to live a simple life and always wanted to be at the level of ordinary people, even if he was an honourable minister. Until you are told about his position, you could hardly tell that he was a very important person, realizing how he would mingle with people wherever he was. That is why he would always be surrounded by people because he was very accessible and had a very good sense of humour. Whenever he was back at home, there would always be people at his place, with him entertaining them with music and providing them with food and drinks.

Mutshaviseki, as he was affectionately called, preferred a casual life despite his position in the ANC and government. You could discuss with him critical matters of the organization and government anywhere, without reservations, and he would still recall each and every detail of the issues, even after a long time as he was very flexible and did not believe in postponing matters especially about the improvement of the lives of the people due to the place you find yourselves.

As his spokesperson, I was expected to prepare for him speeches whenever he was expected to speak at government events. I would spend a lot of hours preparing the speech doing thorough research only for him to master it within 5 to 10 minutes and do the address without even looking or referring to it. That confirms how intelligent this gallant fighter of our people was.

Cde Collins loved his family, in particular his wife and children, but also his extended family; the family has indeed lost a real pillar of strength. A man who would always suspend all his activities whenever there were family programmes.

The ANC and the government have indeed lost a strategist and dedicated leader who preferred to work behind the scenes. In meetings, he preferred to be the last person to speak and there would always be substance, wisdom and the direction the meeting was supposed to take. Even in difficult circumstances, Cde Collins would remain calm and I don't remember him being angry even if the situation dictated that way.

I will always miss his love, compassion and sense of humour. Since I joined him in parliament, he had started to call me Honourable, unlike Chief, as we used to call each other. I can't forget the orientation he gave me the first time I arrived in parliament in May 2014, even to the extent of personally taking me through all the registration processes which took about 2 hours, like a parent with a child on the first day of school.

You have ran your race, my friend, and I guarantee you that we will never disappoint you and will keep taking the struggle of improving the lives of our people forward.

May your soul rest in peace.

- Moses Tseli, MP

 

 

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