Johannesburg - The chairman of uMkhonto WeSizwe in KwaZulu-Natal, Themba Mavundla, paid his respects to the family of Reggie Vandeyar, an MK veteran who died on Thursday aged 84. He will be buried on Sunday in Gauteng.
The stalwart was afforded a Special Provincial Official Funeral by President Jacob Zuma, who instructed that the national flag fly at half-mast.
Mavundla said the ANC’s armed wing has lost one of the greatest leaders who devoted his life to the Struggle.
“We have lost a compass in Reggie. He was one of the people who protected the organisation at any cost. He was a patriotic South African, a selfless cadre who didn’t want anything in return for his contribution to the Struggle.”
Mavundla said the death of Vandeyar came at a time when the ANC needed veterans like him to help pull the organisation from the brink. “But there is nothing we can do, life must go on. He played his part but we needed him to help shape our organisation,” said Mavundla.
Vandeyar was a member of the Transvaal Indian Congress and SACP.
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation joined the scores of people offering their condolences to the family of Vandeyar, who was among the first MK members to be sent to Robben Island – for 10 years – with Shirish Nanabhai and Indres Naidoo.
Last year, Zuma awarded Vandeyar a National Order of Mendi for Bravery for the role he played during the Struggle.
The Sunday Independent