Freedom Day: Reflections of a struggle stalwart

AS part of celebrating 22 years of freedom, the Zululand Observer conducted an exclusive interview with one of the struggle stalwarts, Richard Sikhakhane.

He salutes former President FW de Klerk, who he describes as a brave man.

Sikhakhane is an ANC veteran from the Musa Dladla Region, and one of the first leaders to serve as a Member of Parliament in the democratic government, from 1994 to 2009.

ZO: First tell us about yourself.

Sikhakhane: I was born in Zululand, in the Matshana Reserve outside Empangeni, but grew up in Durban. I’m in my 70s. I’m married to Dorcas and have four children. I come from a poor family of seven siblings. In fact it was my father’s eldest brother (Bernard) who took care of my upbringing and sent me to school. He was a school principal and a Chief (regent) of KwaMadlebe Traditional Authority, so financially he was sound. I attended Empangeni Primary School before moving to Adams College in Amanzimtoti in 1955. At the time there were no high schools around Empangeni.

ZO: How did you get into politics?

Sikhakhane: There was always this desire inside me to become a politician. But I also loved sport and played soccer at school. They nicknamed me ‘Terror,’ for terrorising defenders. In the early morning of 9 August 1956 , a boy came to my room and said, ‘Terror, how can we go to school today when our mothers and sisters are marching at the Union Buildings in Pretoria? I then mobilised students not to go to school on that day, and it happened. Later the school principal called me to say he knew I was responsible for the strike and gave me 30 minutes to leave the premises.

While packing, not knowing where to go, a boy came in and said I should not worry, the ANC would pick me up to Umlazi Glebelands. This was organised by my teacher Msizi Kunene. I stayed there with ANC heavyweights such as Billy Khoza and Moses Mabhida. From there it was ANC all the way.

After completing matric I had to look for a job, but did not have a permit to work in Durban.

So comrades used ‘certain ways’ for me to get it. They traced a Sikhakhane family somewhere in Cato Manor (Mkhumbane), and they registered me as a son of that family. The family’s home address was House No 218, Dabulamanzi. I also met another stalwart, Johnny Makhathini. Johnny was working for Bantu Administration (KwaMuhle). Incidentally I got a job as a clerk, working alongside him.

ZO: What did you gain from staying with him?

Sikhakhane: My highlight was the day I visited him in his room. While we were talking politics, a curtain opened, and there was Walter Sisulu.

Sisulu was wanted by the police since he had lost his appeal case. He was in hiding. There was a belief that he had skipped the country.

That act of Sisulu revived my political life. I joined Umkhonto Wesizwe in 1963, with the hope of crossing the border to Tanzania, but Oliver Tambo sent a message to say we must put those plans on hold. That’s when we started our underground structures, which I ended up leading in areas such as Ntuzuma, Lindelani, Inanda and part of KwaMashu until 1992.

ZO: When did you return to Zululand?

Sikhakhane: I came here in 1992 to serve as the first Regional Elections Co-ordinator for the northern Natal region. My task was to strengthen the ANC.

ZO: How do you see the role played by former President FW de Klerk in the liberation of this country?

Sikhakhane: That man must be credited not just for the release of political prisoners, but for his bravery. There had been many attempts to influence the National Party to do that, but what was missing was the bravery, and De Klerk did just that. He took a risk and his risk was coupled with wisdom. He also saw the consequences that were to follow if he had not taken that route.

ZO: Your feelings on what’s happening in our Parliament today?

Sikhakhane: It’s a shame. The image of Parliament has been dismally tarnished. The damage was created by us as the ANC. The ANC does things in a discipline and orderly manner, but if the ANC becomes disorderly, then it sends a message to everybody to be disorderly.

ZO: Your views on the Nkandla saga?

Sikhakhane: The courts have stood firm and the Chapter 9 Institutions are showing why they are there, and we have every reason to celebrate this freedom and our democracy which is maturing.