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By ORAPELENG MATSHEDISO

Comrade Walter Sisulu was born on the 18^th May 1912, just five months after the official formation of the ANC in Mangaung in Free State, had he lived, he would have turned 109 years old. 

Sisulu was a selfless leader and a true cadre who embodied the membership declaration of the ANC as outlined in its constitution. He accordingly understood that ANC members and cadres ought to serve the people “without motives of material advantage or personal gain”. 

Comrade Sisulu worked and served as a loyal member of the ANC until his last breath. He also placed his energy and skills at the disposal of the movement and the people of South Africa. 

Sisulu understood and unreservedly carried out the organisational mandate and tasks with the utmost diligence, dedication and discipline.

Sisulu further defended the unity and integrity of the ANC at all material times. He did all these because he was taught within the ranks of the congress movement that, the ANC must be an “effective instrument of liberation in the hands of the people”.  Hence he ensured that under his leadership, the ANC becomes a campaigning and mobilizing organisation.

As the Secretary-General of the ANC, he became part of the first ANC leaders to be arrested during the 1952 defiance campaign. Sisulu has selflessly and fearlessly led the destitute and downtrodden masses of our people.

Comrade Xhamela was selfless, because after he was elected the Secretary-General of the ANC in 1949, he was paid five pounds on monthly basis and at times, the ANC had no money to pay his salary and travelling fees.

History reveals that, once upon a time, comrade Z.K Matthews was tasked to communicate with the Secretary-General informing him that he would not be paid his monthly salary for a particular period. Apparently, some comrades thought the SG would resign but, instead, he engaged his wife, comrade Mama Albertina Sisulu who was a nurse and also an activist and a member of the movement.

She committed to using her salary to buy comrade Walter a monthly railway ticket to attend to the organizational tasks and meetings. Sisulu indeed served the movement without expecting material gain or personal benefits.

Today, we have a state capture commission and many of the leaders and members of his organisation, the ANC, are implicated in a rampant corruption that poses a serious threat to the legitimacy of the ANC-led government.

It is evident that, the renewal and rebuilding of the ANC needs leadership traits of Walter Sisulu and Mama Albertina Sisulu and many other selfless leaders and members.

He was an activist of note and a rooted leader amongst the toiling mass. Sisulu used to assist men in his community, who could not read or write with letters to their wives and children for free of charge. 

During his spare time, he would attend community activities such as weddings, funerals and church meetings.

This was a strategy he employed to understand the plight and aspiration of the people and provide leadership where necessary. Sisulu was a unionist whose mind was never on vacation and led workers with dedication and commitment. 

He never sold-out workers with intentions to facilitate, solicit money or senior position in the management at the expense of workers’ interests.

Sisulu chose to be suspended from work than to be bribed.

In 1940 at age of 28, he was formally recruited into the ANC by a unionist comrade Alfred Mbele, because of his activism amongst the toiling masses of the people and he was later elected as a Treasurer of the Orlando branch of the ANC. 

Sisulu assisted the branch with recruitment and the membership of the ANC in that branch and it grew from 100 to 200.

At the age of 30, he became the only delegate representing the Orlando branch at the ANC National Annual Conference. At the conference, Sisulu carried out the mandate of the branch and went back to give feedback. 

He believed in the accountable leadership and his pedigree won him more confidence amongst members of his branch and community in general.

In 1942, he was again delegated to the National Annual Conference (NAC) of the ANC. Sisulu also played a very critical role in the formation of the ANCYL in 1944, where he even used his delegation to the 1942 and 1943 ANC National Annual Conferences to advance the debate to convince the ANC leadership to agree to the initiative to establish the ANC Youth League.

Apparently his ANC branch qualified for more delegates, but due to financial constraints, he had to attend alone. Sisulu was the most trusted leader of the branch. 

So, as the ANC starts with the elections of the branch, regional and provincial leadership at conferences, members must elect selfless and rooted leaders who adhere to the ANC membership declaration and understand the aspirations and the plights of the masses.

Orapeleng Vanilla Matshediso is a member of the ANC in Dr Ruth Mompati Region, a Deputy Executive Director of Higher Education Transformation Network and Employee of Dr Ruth Mompati District Municipality. He writes in his personal capacity and the views raised here do not necessarily represent Taung DailyNews and its stakeholders.

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