Gallant warrior of Tembisa remembered

One of the giants of the liberation struggle from Tembisa, Ms Selina Moloto (69), died on Friday March 31, at the Tembisa Hospital, after a short illness.

Ms Moloto joined the struggle during the late 1970s as a shop steward of the then Sweet Food and Allied Workers Union, which later became known as the Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU), where she was a trusted leader of the workers for many years.

The ANC’s Oupa Nkadimeng branch chairperson, Mr Sello Ali Tleane, said poor health forced her to retire from her job during the mid-1990s.

“She was also in the leadership of the Tembisa Women’s Group and Tembisa Residents Association (TRA) before the unbanning of political organisations in 1990. Thereafter she continued to excel as a selfless and dedicated servant of the people by playing leading roles within the TRA, which later became the South African National Civics Organisation (SANCO) Tembisa Branch, as well as in the ANC and the ANC Women’s League (WL) Tembisa Branches,” added Mr Tleane.

Mr Tleane said Ms Moloto loved children and education and became a long-serving member of both the Ingqayizivele High School and the Thuto-Ke-Maatla High School Governing Bodies (SGBs).

“This committed real stalwart of the struggle worked alongside the late Zodwa Mofokeng and Frieda Shaba, Thandi Swakamisa, Matilda Mabena, Nkele Seleka, Bafedile Nhlonze and many others.

“She dedicated her entire life to the struggles of ordinary people and never made any demands for herself, even when there were rewards and opportunities – always just volunteering her time and energy. Many of us should learn big lessons from this beautiful daughter of the soil,” said Mr Tleane.

He said during Ms Moloto’s twilight years she served in the committees of the ANC Andrew Mapheto Zone and the Oupa Nkadimeng branch executive.

Ms Moloto was a die-hard member of the Uniting Reformed Church.

A memorial service will be held in her honour on Thursday, April 6 at Ingqayizivele High School, starting at 4pm, and she will be buried on Saturday, April 8 after a service that will be held at her home at number 346 Tsenelong Section, Tembisa, starting at 7am.

Ms Moloto is survived by two sisters, a brother, five children and six grandchildren.