Igama Lamakhosikazi Malibongwe (Name of Women Shall be Praised) – a song synonymous with the ANC Women's League, echoed across the Extension 9 hall on Wednesday, as over 300 well-wishers and mourners paid tribute to the late municipal worker, Noluvuyo Siyolise Zawula, who died in a car accident on Monday 3 February.
Igama Lamakhosikazi Malibongwe (Name of Women Shall be Praised) – a song synonymous with the ANC Women's League, echoed across the Extension 9 hall on Wednesday, as over 300 well-wishers and mourners paid tribute to the late municipal worker, Noluvuyo Siyolise Zawula, who died in a car accident on Monday 3 February.
The memorial service was organised by the Sipho Ntamo Branch of the ANC women's League, where Zawula was serving as deputy secretary. The event took on the mood of a typical ANC gathering, combined with a church service, as the sounds of an electrifying fusion of struggle songs and hymns filled the air.
The service was well attended by ANC members, government officials and prominent citizens of Grahamstown. Among them were ANC sub-region chairperson, Mncedisi Boma, Makana Council speaker, Rachel Madinda Isaac, Ward 5 councillor Monwabisi Tame and PR councillor Mthuthuzeli Matyhumza, Radio Grahamstown's Phumla Pango and 6 SAI Battalion's Reverend Ngesi.
The ANC Women's League's deputy chairperson, Linda Ntlanjeni, urged members and voters to make sure they voted ANC at the upcoming elections “or the red berets will take over”. This was greeted by rapturous approval from the ANC-dominated crowd.
As the main speaker at the memorial service, Ngesi related how, on a drizzling day, he accidentally hit a 13-year-old child at the same spot where the Zawula was killed. He said the child survived but soon after that three of his soldiers were also involved in an accident on the same road.
“As I read in the Grocott's Mail about Sinovuyo's (Zawula's) accident, I said to myself that something must be done about that road," he said. Ngesi's plea comes in the wake of mayor, Zamuxolo Peter's, pledge to install guard rails at the site, labelling it a high accident zone.
Boma called for unity in the ANC and its alliance partners, saying Oliver Tambo and Nelson Mandela would be upset by the tensions and infighting. He said the ANC dignity was becoming tarnished.
Boma described Zawula as one of the organisation's most dedicated comrades, who loved the ANC passionately.
Zawula died on 3 February after a bakkie, in which she and her colleagues had hitch-hiked to work, veered out of control and plunged down a steep embankment outside Grahamstown.
Zawula was born on 4 September 1975 and will be buried on Saturday 15 February 2013. The funeral service will be held at the Extension 9 hall. She leaves behind two children.
