Johannesburg - The newly-elected City of Johannesburg Mayor Jolidee Matongo has expressed his heartfelt condolences to the family of one of the 1976 youth uprising leaders in Soweto, Dan Sechaba Montsitsi.
Montsisi succumbed to Covid19 related complications on Thursday night.
Montsitsi was the third president of the Soweto Student Representative Council and a former Robben Island political prisoner.
Matongo described Montsitsi as one of the strongest, but very humble leaders he has ever known.
“Bra Dan will forever be remembered as one of the 1976’s astute young leaders who led the youth revolution during the tough times of apartheid. It was his humbleness that saw him easily succeed in persuading other young people of his generation to join the fight against the apartheid system,” Matongo said.
“He gave of himself selflessly to the liberation Struggle and made sure to impart his knowledge to the youth generation that came after him. Losing Bra Dan is a great loss for the people of Johannesburg, especially those of us who were still looking forward to learning more from his wisdom. On behalf of the people of Johannesburg, may prayers of comfort and strength be with Bra Dan’s family, friends and comrades during this difficult time, and may Bra Dan’s soul rest in peace,” Matongo said.
Early this year during the 2021 June 16 commemoration Montsitsi expressed his support of the #Feesmustfall movement, saying it is important for the youth to have access to education in order to transform the country.
“Education is the key and building block for what we want South Africa to be though they are facing challenges like unemployment and poverty. It is important that young people come together and form a forum to build the country,” Montsitsi said.
Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla said the death of Montsitsi illustrates that the country’s Covid-19 fatalities are not just statistics.
“This is a reminder that this is not just a statistic but its people at all times who are known to somebody. We want to pass our condolences to the family of comrade Montsitsi, his children and the rest of the family,” said Phaahla.
Political Bureau