Cde Smiso condolences

13 August 2003

It is with great sadness to learn that one of the rising young cadres of our revolutinary party, the SACP,in the name of Cde Smiso, is no more.

The party has lost a cadre that was committed to the letter.

He knew what he stood for in this country and the world. He understood that nowhere in the world will there be ever a happy life without the implementation of our socialist project - Socialism.

A young cadre is gone. Gone forever. And, 'Death be not proud'.

The country has just lost a very young soccer player in Lesley Manyathela.

Now is this. It is a challenge to all of us left behind to pick up the spear of Cde Smiso - the young lion of KwaZulu/Natal. All communists should mourn and pay their last respect to this young cadre of our movement who was committed to his cause. And we must thank his family for having brought us such a committed, dedicated revolutionary cadre. We would like to send our heartfelt condolences to them at this difficult period.

Quoting from the Cuban Poet Laureate Guillen's poem Che Comandante: "NOT BECAUSE YOU HAVE FALLEN IS YOUR LIGHT LESS HIGH. A HORSE OF FIRE SUSTAINS YOU, GUERILLA SCULPTURE, BETWEEN THE WIND AND THE CLOUDS OF THE SIERRA. NOT BECAUSE YOU ARE MUTE ARE YOU SILENCE. AND NOT BECAUSE THEY BURN YOU, NOT BECAUSE THEY HIDE YOU IN THE EARTH, CONCEAL YOU IN CEMETERIES, FORESTS, BLEAK PLATEAUS, WILL THEY PREVENT OUR FINDING YOU, CHE COMANDANTE, FRIEND."

The poem continues:" WE SEE YOU EACH DAY A MINISTER, EACH DAY A SOLDIER, EACH DAY A SIMPLE PERSON AND DIFFICULT EACH DAY. AND PURE AS A CHILD OR AS A MAN PURE, CHE COMANDANTE, FRIEND".

The death of Cde Smiso comes at a critical time when we need him more than ever before. It is so because of the mammoth tasks that our Party and the Alliance are faced with.

Cde Smiso rest in peace
Socialism is the future, build it now!!!
Lentswe Webster Mothobi

Salud.

Reciban de los comunista espanyoles nuestro mas sentido pesame por la muerte del dirigente del SACP, camarada Secretario Provincial de KZN.

Transmitan nuestras condolencias tanto a su familia y amigos como a la organizacion comunista que ha perdido a uno de sus dirigentes en tan lamentable accidente de autocar.

Saludos comunistas desde Espanya.
Quim Boix

Comrade Mazibuko,

On behalf of Vutleketli Interventions' Management team and Board, I express our heartfelt condolences to Comrade Smiso Nkwanyana's family, the SACP and the alliance on this tragic death.

Smiso's death and that of Lesley Manyathela at the weekend should strengthen our resolve to deal with the road carnage in our country. I think it is very crucial for the SACP to start engaging Government on its Road Safety Strategy in order for the SACP to develop its own thinking around this question. Recently published statistics have shown that more than 72% of fatalities on our roads involve our people, black people. Of that number, around 40% are pedestrians. This is a tragic and unnecessary waste of human life. The pedestrian casualty problem is not limited to urban areas, about one third of all pedestrian fatalities in South Africa occur on rural roads.

Since the launch of the Arrive Alive Road Safety Campaign in 1997, we have witnessed consistent methods and strategies, which were mainly designed to scare people using the flow of blood and death. Terror tactics remain the consistent thread throughout most Arrive Alive creative executions. Without doubt, the campaign boasts a handsome library of “shocking adverts that are meant to engage road users and change their behaviour by showing the danger of irresponsible road use. Objectively, those strategies have thus far worked well for Arrive Alive. However, their value is beginning to evaporate.

As the SACP, we don't have to wait for another tragedy to struck before we start putting pressure around the issue of road accidents. We don't have to wait for December in order to start addressing this question. We have to stress the point that road safety is important, not only during the festive season or the easter weekend, but it is important everyday and every minute.

I am very convinced that we have the capacity to take this matters head-on. We are fortunate in that our Deputy Secretary General, Comrade Jeremy Cronin is the Chair of the Portfolio Committee on Transport at the National Assembly. I am confident that he can lead us in a revolution to transform our road safety regime. We have to start engaging on this issue very urgently.

Regards,

Michaelmaterial MABASA
Chief Executive Officer
VUTLEKETLI INTERVENTIONS

Sincerest condolences to the SACP. I am shocked and saddened by this tragedy. May cde Smiso live on in our memories. May his spirit rest knowing that we shall continue the struggle for socialism.

Warm comradely regards - Melissa Levin

Dear Mazibuko,

I'm very sad and shocked to hear the horrible news of Smiso's death. It's a huge loss to the movement and to humanity. He was not only a dedicated and effective comrade, he was also a gem of a human being. It doesn't seem possible that someone with so much vitality and life could be taken so early and unnecessarily. Life is really unfair sometimes. Please give my condolences to his family and to all of you as well.

warmly,
Michelle