By Alicia Mmashakana
President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his profound sadness at the death of Gertrude Shope, who was an educator, freedom fighter, trade unionist and former Member of Parliament. She was 99.
“We have lost an eminent national heroine and mother to our nation. During a lifetime of close on a century, Ma Shope made a monumental contribution to our struggle for a free and inclusive South Africa, while inspiring generations of women and men to emulate her commitment.”
Ma Shope, as she was popularly known, received the official Order for Meritorious Service (Silver) in 2003, which acknowledges South Africans who had performed exemplary public service and predates the current National Orders.
Her sacrifice, service and revolutionary courage manifested in organisations such as the African National Congress where she was elected president of the ANC Women’s League in 1990, the Federation of South African Women, the World Federation of Trade Unions and and the inaugural Parliament of democratic South Africa.
“She organised women and communities in our country as well as international organisations to oppose apartheid and alleviate the plight of oppressed communities while the struggle was underway.
“She also had the distinction of being listed as a co-conspirator in the Rivonia Trial, alongside Oliver Tambo, Joe Slovo, Ben Turok, Duma Nokwe, Joe Modise, Jack Hodgson and others,” the president said on Friday.
“She was indeed an mbokodo (rock) that apartheid failed to erode or fracture, and she entered our first democratic Parliament in 1994 with a vibrancy and vision that made her an exemplary first-generation parliamentarian.”
Ramaphosa extended his heartfelt sympathies to Ma Shope’s daughters, Lyndall Shope-Mafole and South African Ambassador to Cuba, Thaninga Shope-Linney.
The ANC Veterans League said in a statement that Shope contributed to the battle for independence in many roles throughout her extensive life.
“We will remember her in particular for being a branch member of the Federation of South African Women in Central Jabavu, Soweto, in 1968 and started the ANC publication Voice of the Women together with Ma Florence Mophosho, the head of the ANC’s Women’s Section while in exile,” said league president Snuki Zikalala.
“As we dip our revolutionary flag in honour of Ma Shope, the Veterans League resolves to recommit to working for women’s full emancipation.”
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