ALI MPHAKI
WIDELY considered a victim of a systematic assassination campaign, former deputy editor of the Sowetan newspaper, Sam Mabe, will be among the 20 honourees at the Siyabakhumbula Awards to be held at the Gallagher Estate next month.
The courageous Mabe was highly critical of the apartheid government in his writings going as far as to call for the release of Nelson Mandela and all political prisoners when it was not fashionable to do so.
Together with the late erudite editor Aggrey Klaaste, they created the concept of Nation Building in 1988, at a time when Soweto was a seething cauldron of fear and violence. Whereas Klaaste was the brains behind Nation Building, Mabe became its face and voice, addressing conferences, seminars, talk shows, etc, as he popularised the concept with a religious vigour.
Tragically Mabe was ambushed and shot dead by two gunmen while sitting in his car outside a friend’s place in Soweto on the evening of July 4, 1990.
To date, 22 years later, his assailants are still at large.
Though the Siyabakhumbula Awards seeks to give recognition to deceased South Africans who made a difference in the arts, literature, entertainment, sports, activism and practically all walks of life, another journo up for an award is the late Doc “Carcass” Bikitsha, a social commentator and one of the finest journalists of his time.
Accolades seem to be coming thick and fast for Bikitsha, (a mission school educated former teacher who left the classroom for the hurly burly of journalism) who was last year posthumously awarded the Order of Ikhamanga in Silver for his contribution to journalism and literature.
He died in 2007.
Also featuring on the roll of honour is former SA soccer supreme George Thabe, a founder member of the National Professional Soccer League and first president of the SA National Football Association.
The Sebokeng born larger-than-life Thabe played a role in soccer world governing body Fifa’s suspension of SA’s membership, a move which contributed to the demise of the old apartheid order.
He died in 2003 at the age of 71.
Organisers of the Siyabakhumbula awards should be commended for remembering Friday Mavuso, a disability activist and a champion for disability rights in SA as well as a founder member of the Disabled People SA.
Wheelchair-bound Mavuso displayed incredible courage and strength in his fight for the betterment of the disabled.
On the entertainment side, the late SA king of reggae Lucky Dube, singers Sophie Mgcina, Stompie Mavi and Oleseng Shuping, pianist extraodinaire Moses Molelekwa, and film pioneer Simon “Mabhunu” Sabela will be honoured.
Sabela – who died of kidney failure in 1994 aged 67 – appeared in films with the likes of international actors Roger Moore, Michael Cain and Burt Lancaster.
He went on to become SA’s first black director when he directed Udeliwe in 1974.
The organiser and co-ordinator of the awards, Mzwakhe “People’s Poet” Mbuli, said it was all systems go for the awards scheduled for November 3.
He said it was highly emotional when visiting the families of the honourees to inform them that their loved ones were being remembered.
He said most family members were overwhelmed by the gesture and simply broke down.
Completing the list of honourees are soccerite Percy “Chippa” Moloi, boxers Simon “Tsipa” Skosana and Brian Baronet, actress Roseline Morapedi, Pastor Richard Ngidi, actor Ashely Callie, witer Dennis Brutus and entertainer Taliep Peterson.