PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa said that the late Andrew Mlangeni could not be cowed or silenced, and was a repository of ethical leadership of the African National Congress.
“When the NEC asked him to lead the Integrity Commission it saw in him a leader who was the repository of the ethical leadership of the ANC,” said Ramaphosa.
“He took that position because he believed that leaders of the ANC should represent the best of ethical behaviour and should know that our people expect that they should always be judged by a higher standard of ethical behaviour.”
Ramaphosa delivered the eulogy at Mlangeni’s funeral at the University of Johannesburg’s Soweto campus on Wednesday.
Mlangeni, the last surviving co-defendant at the Rivonia Trialists, died last week at the age of 95.
Ramaphosa said Mlangeni’s passing marks the end of an era.
“His passing does indeed mark the end of an era; we must ask ourselves what now? What shall define this new era? Adherence to the values of his glorious movement – revolutionary discipline? Will it be an era and age of increasing prosperity for all?,” said Ramaphosa.
Earlier, former president Thabo Mbeki said Mlangeni was deeply concerned about the state of the ANC at of his death.
“He was very concerned about this movement, the ANC. A movement that he and others built over many decades, and very concerned about what is happening in our country with regard to the revolution for which he sacrificed his life,” said Mbeki.
“Indeed, he had very good cause to be concerned. I am sure all of us will recall one of the important messages that came out of the 54th national conference of the ANC where it said, for instance, that there is a loss of confidence in the ANC because of social distance, corruption, nepotism, arrogance, elitism, factionalism, manipulating organisational principles, abusing state power and putting self-interest above the people.”
(COMPILED BY INSIDE POLITICS STAFF)
