ANC’s gentle giant had a sharp tongue
UWC honours Zola Skweyiya
Struggle stalwart and former cabinet minister Zola Skweyiya was yesterday described as a politician with a sharp tongue who never sought the limelight.
These were the words of his long-time friend and colleague at the University of Western Cape (UWC), Albie Sachs, at Skweyiya’s memorial service at the institution.
Skweyiya had worked at the university in the early 1990s.
Sachs, speaking through Dullah Omar Institute director Jaap de Visser, said: “Like [Oliver] Tambo, Dr Skweyiya was a natural democrat. He hated apartheid with a passion and truly believed in the Freedom Charter.
“If ever there was a stalwart it was Zola Skweyiya. He was hard working with a strong independence.
“He never sought the limelight for himself but was stern at times. He was a person with a great generosity and a sharp sense of humour,” Sachs said.
The service at Bellville campus was attended by a small group comprising former ministers Brigitte Mabandla, Pallo Jordan and Western Cape High Court judges Taswell Papier, Vincent Saldanha and Mushtak Parkers.
Others included former head of the South African Human Sciences Research Council Olive Shisana and senior university academics.
UWC’s deputy vice-chancellor Professor Vivienne Lawack said: “We are honouring his life and paying respect to his life.
“The most enduring descriptions described him as the gentle giant and soft spoken and yet is clear his dedication and loyalty to the anti-apartheid cause and the ANC from a young age to the day he passed away.
“We [the UWC] are truly honoured to have had a link with Dr Skweyiya,” she said.
Jordan, who gave an impromptu speech when invited by Professor Nico Steytler, had also worked with Skweyiya.
Jordan reflected on many years of friendship with Skweyiya and drew laughter from the audience when he reminded them of the former minister’s “sharp tongue” and sense of humour.
“He was a soldier in the race until the very end,” said Jordan, adding that “his passing was a great loss to me personally and a loss to our country and the movement”.
Mabandla reminisced about the work she did with Skweyiya and others when they worked on the details of the constitution. She thanked the UWC for allowing them the space to have workshops and debates in the 1990s.
She also reminded the audience of the time she saw Skweyiya in tears when he spoke about the forced removals in the Western Cape of African people.
Skweyiya’s special official funeral will held in Pretoria tomorrow.