(A memorial to the former Chairman of the South African Communist Party, Comrade J.B. Marks, who died on August 1, 1972, was unveiled at the Novodevichye cemetery in Moscow on December 16, 1974. The ceremony was attended by leaders of the South African Communist Party, the African National Congress, members of South African community in the Soviet Union, and leading representatives of the Soviet Government and people. The following is Dr. Dadoo`s address to the gathering.)
It is but fitting that we are unveiling the memorial to J. B. Marks, affectionately known to us all as "Uncle J. B.", today December 16 - Heroes` Day - a date of special significance for the African National Congress of South Africa and the entire national liberation movement - for on this day annually oppressed peoples of our country pay their homage and tribute to all martyrs and heroes who laid down their lives and offered supreme sacrifice in the struggle against imperialism, colonialism and racism, and in the cause of freedom and the rights and liberties of the common people.
On this day we pay respect to the memory of, and derive inspiration from, the brave deeds of our dedicated men and women who fought and struggled with admirable gallantry against colonial conquest of our land ever since the white coloniser set his foot on our soil in the middle of the 17th century.
It is fitting indeed that we honour Uncle J. B. on this day for he was without a shadow of doubt one of the great heroes or our struggle.
He was a hero of the African people. As a dynamic leader of the African National Congress he commanded the respect of, and earned the love and affection of the African people throughout the land. His contribution in the cause of national liberation is a part of our history.
He was a hero of the South African working class. As a dedicated Communist and working class leader he devoted his energy and efforts to the most formidable task of organising the most exploited section of workers, the African gold miners, into the African Mine Workers` Union and under his inspiring leadership the miners came out in the historic strike of 1946 which struck a mighty blow against whole of cheap labour system. He exercised a tremendous influence on the development of trade union movement among African workers.
He was the hero of the fighting men of the Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the ANC and the national liberation movement. In the camps his presence was a source of inspiration to our men and his fatherly guidance and advice gave them encouragement and steeled their fighting spirit.
He was a hero of the international communist movement. Uncle J. B. was a staunch internationalist and consistently upheld the principles of proletarian internationalism, tirelessly fought for the unity and consolidation of world communist and workers movement. He has earned the love and respect of all fighters for peace, national independence, democracy and socialism. J. B. Marks was a loyal and steadfast friend of the Soviet Union and came to love the great Soviet land very dearly which was to become his resting place as well as that of outstanding South African revolutionaries, David Ivon Jones and Albert Nzula, Joseph Motsepe and a militant, Jara.
As we unveil this memorial today, 1 shall be failing in my duty if I were not to express the grateful thanks of the South African Communist Party and the national liberation movement of our country to the Central Committee of the CPSU for erecting this memorial at the graveside of J. B. Marks which will for ever remain a monument to the love and respect of the Soviet people for him, and an everlasting mark of solidarity of the CPSU and the Soviet land with the just struggle of the oppressed South African people for national and social emancipation. We say to our Soviet comrades, bolshoi spaceeba.
Like our revolutionary brothers and sisters in South Africa, we South Africans who have gathered here in Novodevichye cemetery in Moscow on this Heroes Day, 16th December 1974, rededicate ourselves to liberate our country, South Africa, and rid our beautiful land of the hideous system of white supremacy.
We make a renewed call on this day for the release of our heroes who today are languishing in fascist prisons of the Vorster regime. We demand immediate freeing of Bram Fischer who is dangerously ill, of Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Govan Mbeki, Ahmed Kathrada and all the political prisoners - we shall not rest until every one of them is freed.
Long live the unity of the Socialist community, the national liberation and working class forces of the world against imperialism, colonialism and racism and for peace, freedom and social progress!