27 May 2014
Today marks 11 years since the sudden and tragic death of our former Provincial Chairperson and COSAS President comrade Ephraim Mogale. The SACP in Mpumalanga Province remembers this gallant warrior, a patriot in the quest for socialism. Mogale understood that the real freedom cannot be realized without intensifying the struggle against capitalism. He understood the relevance of the alliance, and that it is only under the ANC-led government based on our revolutionary alliance within framework of the National Democratic Revolution that social transformation can be achieved. Mogale`s life and struggle in both the ANC and the SACP embodied his concrete understanding that the completion of National Democratic Revolution is both an important goal in itself and simultaneously the most direct route to socialism.
We, together with others, who had the privilege to experience the comradeship of Mogale, will honour his memory and contribution as we move South Africa forward for a radical economic transformation and the struggle to which he committed his life to.
Our history of the struggle against capitalist exploitation, colonialism, apartheid and its defeat in 1994 through a democratic breakthrough laying the foundations for a democratic transition is incomplete without the history of the revolutionary life and death of Ephraim Mogale. His life in the struggle against apartheid and for the transformation of our country reads like a history of our struggle from the post-1976 June intensification of mass mobilization against apartheid. As the founding President of COSAS, Mogale was instrumental in building a revolutionary organ of progressive students opposed to apartheid and struggling against Bantu Education. He was aware that the student`s struggle was part and parcel of the overall liberation struggle.
Conversely, he also understood that to advance the National Democratic Revolution requires the mobilization of the working class consistently on socialist perspectives and approaches. In the current period, this means struggling against the systemic triple challenges of inequality, unemployment and poverty, as well as unjust working conditions, exploitative financial sector and defeating lumpen-tenderpreneurs who have taken root in the province of Mpumalanga.
His legacy will live forever and we are proud to see a Primary School, Local Municipality and a region named after this revolutionary, patriot and pioneer of transformation.
Issued by SACP Mpumalanga
Enquiries:
Bonakele Majuba - Provincial Secretary
Mobile: 082 968 4877
Lesetja Dikgale - Provincial Spokesperson
Mobile: 076 869 4360
Tinyiko Ntini - Provincial Media Liaison
Mobile: 073 811 2020| 084 979 5999