Veteran anti-apartheid educationalist and life president of the New Unity Movement (NUM) RO Dudley has died aged 85, weeks after UCT awarded him an honorary doctorate.
Although more than qualified with a string of degrees and decades of experience Dudley refused to leave the Livingstone High School where he was principal to work at a much higher salary but under permit from the apartheid authorities at UCT.
Banned several times, he was one of the leaders of the movement against apartheid, and his NUM was regarded as to the left of the ANC. It organised teachers and the non-racial sports movement, among others.
Dudley died on Sunday at the Constantiaberg Medi-Clinic after a long illness.
Said NUM president Basil Brown: "Apart from his great stature and eminence as an educator and leading member of the Teachers League of South Africa he was in equal measure a man of great political renown. He was a founder member and a leader of the Non European Unity Movement (NEUM) which was formed in 1943.
"Working together with revolutionaries like IB Tabata, BM Kies, Goolam Gool , Hosea Jaffe and Ali Fataar he was instrumental in helping to formulate the NEUM's Ten Point Programme, the policy of Non Collaboration and the policy of Non- Racialism.
"Despite suffering banning under the Suppression of Communism Act in the '60's he continued to promote the programme and policies of the NEUM and was eventually instrumental in bringing the NUM into being in 1983, becoming our first President.
"He tirelessly served our organisation in that capacity until his enforced retirement due to ill health in 1998.
"He was soon thereafter elected as our honorary Life President in recognition of the great and important role he had played in the life of our organisation.
"Despite his retirement and the poor health of his dear wife Iris, not to mention his own deteriorating health he continued to take a keen interest in events and continued to give advice and guidance to us.
"In recognition of his contribution to education the University of Cape Town bestowed an honorary doctorate in Education on RO Dudley at his home on 7 April. The citation for the award will be read at UCT's upcoming June Graduation Ceremony."
"On behalf of the NUM we extend our heart felt sympathies and condolences to the family."
Dudley's wife Iris died last November. He is survived by two sons, Gary and Russel and their families.
Funeral and memorial arrangements are yet to be announced. - Staff Writer
- Read the full story in Tuesday's editions of The Cape Times newspaper.