Struggle veterans inspire youth

Capetown-150330-Sarah Carneson was one of the 10nstruggle stalwarts attended the Human rights Dailogue overview where the deputy minister of home affairs Fatima Chohan gave the struggle vetarans their new Smart ID cards-Picture by BHEKI RADEBE

Capetown-150330-Sarah Carneson was one of the 10nstruggle stalwarts attended the Human rights Dailogue overview where the deputy minister of home affairs Fatima Chohan gave the struggle vetarans their new Smart ID cards-Picture by BHEKI RADEBE

Published Mar 31, 2015

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Cape Town - The revolution baton has been handed down. It is now time for the youth to carry South Africa forward and tackle the issues of discrimination, racism and sexism that continue to plague the country head on.

That was the message to nearly 100 pupils from schools across the peninsula, who had the rare opportunity of meeting 10 Struggle stalwarts who defied apartheid’s oppressive laws.

The event was part of a human rights dialogue in the CBD organised by the Department of Home Affairs.

The dialogue was themed “Reconciliation and Building a Nation with a Human Rights Culture”.

Struggle veterans Sarah Carneson, Georgina Goosen, Raghmatunisa Jaffer, Fareda Omar, Nompumelelo Sidina, Gladys Thomas, Bulelwa Tinto, Louise Asmal, Thandi Ngamlana and Amy Thornton were present.

The stalwarts were invited by Home Affairs Deputy Minister Fatima Chohan to receive Smart ID cards and engage with the “born-frees” about human rights, rooting out racism and promoting reconciliation.

Jaffer, 88, a founding member of the Wynberg branch of the United Women’s Congress, explained that she and her fellow Struggle icons lived through a period of great difficulty and evil. It was up to the youth to carry society forward.

“Young people today need to keep debates about transformation going. The past can get diluted and the freedom that so many fought for can be forgotten.

“But this must never happen. We, the veterans, place our trust in you,” said Jaffer.

Holding her new Smart ID card, Carneson, 98, a former trade unionist and member of the SACP, said South Africa had made tremendous strides in ensuring human dignity became a reality.

“The last thing I remember getting from the apartheid government was a prison number.

“Now I am holding one of the most sophisticated pieces of technology in my hands,” Carneson joked.

In 1938, Carneson began working for the National Union of Distributive Workers, and also became secretary of the Tobacco Workers’ Union.

In 1954, she was banned and could no longer hold office in any union. In 1960, she went underground.

Seven years later, Carneson was imprisoned for breaching her banning order, and in 1986, she went into exile so that she could work for the Trade Union Movement.

“The youth must know their past to understand their present, but they must not get stuck in the past. We did the things we did so that the future generation could have the freedom they do. Please, keep the memory alive,” she urged.

Matric pupil at Spes Bona High School, Thembeka Mpengesi, said meeting the veterans had left her so inspired that she vowed to incorporate their messages into her life. Keanen Naaido, matric pupil at Bonteheuwel Secondary School, said he had always valued his rights, and would do more to ensure that his community knew about theirs.

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