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RED ALERT |
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David Rabkin
1948-1985
Obituary in Sechaba, March 1986
The tragic death of David Rabkin, in an accident in Angola on the night of November 22, 1985, is a great loss to the ANC and liberation movement. David received a hero`s burial in Luanda. An armed guard of Umkhonto we Sizwe stood vigil as his coffin, draped in the flags of the ANC and SACP, was lowered into the red earth of a country he so admired. Speeches were delivered by comrades Joe Slovo and Chris Hani, attesting to David`s fine qualities, outstanding courage and undying contribution. Memorial meetings also took place in South Africa and London.
David was born in Cape town in 1948 but was educated and grew up in England after the Sharpeville massacre. He was the only son of enlightened parents who did not want their children to grow up under the evil apartheid system. In David`s own words, spoken in a Cape Town court many years later, he was taught at an early age:
"...to view with compassion those less privileged than myself and to respect the human dignity of all people of whatever colour."
David proved his brilliance as a scholar at Leeds University, where he gained a doctorate in literature in 1972 for a study on black South African writers. The choice of subject was an indication of his strong feeling for his South African roots, and he returned to Cape Town later that year with his English-born wife, Sue. David soon found a job on the Cape Argus as a reporter. On the surface David and Sue appeared to be innocent enough, even if they possessed more vitality than most white South Africans. Yet for over three years they led a complicated double life, working in secret to produce and distribute leaflets and other literature for the ANC and Communist Party. This required great courage, nerve and practical ability as well as David`s skill as a first-class writer. They worked in the underground cell with university lecturer Jeremy Cronin. The last leaflet they managed to issue before their arrest in July 1976, entitled Death to the Murderers of Soweto, was filled with defiance and promises of revenge. At his trial, where he received a ten-year sentence, David made clear his belief:
"...that only the course of action laid out by the ANC and its sister organisations, including the SACP, offered the hope of releasing for the benefit of all South Africans, the energies, talents and aspirations of all our people. From the liberation of the African people, the most oppressed section of our population, would flow a just and democratic society, a South Africa that belonged to all who live in it, black and white."
The contribution that David`s propaganda unit made in that pre-Soweto period was invaluable. At a time when our movement inside the country had been crippled, such leaflets as he helped write, produce and distribute were priceless. David helped build the foundation on which the ANC has become the leader of the revolutionary ferment today. In a funeral oration, Chris Hani stated that:
"We are reaping the fruits of those efforts today."
Joe Slovo similarly declared:
"If we are where we are today it is because of the likes of Dave."
David served seven years of this sentence and was released without making any deal with the system. In those years he proved himself to be as disciplined, firm and loyal to the struggle "inside" as he had been "outside". He showed his irrepressible faith and optimism in the struggle when, on his release in 1983, he said in London:
"Things are now moving in South Africa. They`ll never be able to push the movement back like they did in the sixties. It is still a long hard struggle, but it`s an irreversible process."
Instead of opting for a comfortable and secure life in England, where a successful academic career was his for the taking, David, as he had done in 1972, once more threw in his weight where it counted most - southern Africa. He worked for a while as a journalist in Maputo and was due to move to Lusaka, where he would have worked full-time for the movement.
In the two short years between his prison release and his death he made a lasting impression on all he worked with. He was an outstanding revolutionary who combined qualities of modesty, discipline and self-sacrifice with a brilliant intellect and exceptional grasp of theory. He had that rare gift of being able to convey complex ideas in a way understandable to all. He did not wish to be thought of only as an intellectual but also as a practical revolutionary. In this he showed a quiet bravery about which more can only be written at some future date. In his short but meaningful life he achieved a great deal as both a theorist and activist. In this respect he serves as a model and example for us all.
David leaves behind numerous writings and articles as well as some fine short stories written in prison. Most of all he leaves behind his perceptive grasp of the political process...
Finally, it should be mentioned that David was a devoted family man. He adored his children, Jobe and Franny. He was a loving father, companion, brother and son. We thank that family for giving David to the struggle. We grieve with them. He will never be forgotten.
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