Struggle veteran “Mr Man” laid to rest

The deputy chairperson of the ANC in Limpopo and MEC for Public Works and Infrastructure, Mr Jerry Ndou, said there was a need to arrange a “cleansing ceremony” in the Vhembe region, as cadres were always dying.

“It is not so long ago, we buried comrade and MK cadre former MEC for education Thembi Nwedamutswu, and it is still fresh in our minds that we buried another cadre, Minister Collins “Animal” Chabane. A week ago, we buryied veteran and former UDM founding member Magweja Mphaphuli and today we are burying yet another son of the soil, Maxwell “Mr Man” Nemadzivhanani.”

He said when the history of the struggle for the freedom and emancipation of the people of South Africa, and in particular blacks, was finally written, the name of “Mr Man” would be featured prominently on top. “Nemadzivhanani was not a Mafikizolo in the struggle for liberation. He didn’t join the struggle because he failed matric. He was not power hungry,” added Ndou.

MEC Ndou, who was joined by former Premier Cassel Mathale, the MEC for the treasury, Rudolf Phala, and the mayor of Thulamela, Cllr Grace Mahosi, was speaking on Saturday outside Thohoyandou during the funeral of Nemadzivhanani (59). He died on 1 April in the MediClinic in Polokwane after a long illness.

He resigned as member of the Limpopo Legislature after the May 2014 elections and was pursuing with his own business at the time of his death. His brother, Khuliso, described him as “true revolution comrade, a seasoned politician and not a tenderpreneur, as many cadres are known nowadays.  He was a servant of the people; he loved and lived politics.”

Nemadzivhanani was born in Vhufuli village outside Thohoyandou. He attended school in Vhufuli Primary and Tshivhase Secondary and passed matric in 1976.

He joined the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) in 1975 and in 1977 he left the country and received political asylum in Botswana. He concurrently joined the Azanian People’s Liberation Army (APLA).

He returned in 1992 and served in many PAC structures and joined the Limpopo Legislature in 2000. He joined the ANC in 2004 and served as member for the Limpopo legislature for almost 10 years. He is survived by his wife, Tshililo, four sons Madzanga, Muthundinne,  Shakalanga, and Khakhathi and daughter Velly, his brother, Khuliso, and two sisters, Lufuno and Maitele.

Date:17 April 2015

By: Silas Nduvheni

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