Raymond Mhlaba

Raymond Mhlaba
Premier of the Eastern Cape
In office 7 May 1994 – 4 February 1997
Preceded by	Position Established
Succeeded by	Makhenkesi Stofile
High CommissionertoUgandaandRwanda
In office 1997–2001
President	Nelson Mandela Thabo Mbeki
Overall Commander ofUmkhonto weSizwe
In office August 1962 – July 1963
Preceded by	Nelson Mandela
Succeeded by	Wilton Mkwayi
Personal details
Born	Raymond Mphakamisi Mhlaba (1920-02-12)12 February 1920 Fort Beaufort,Cape Province(nowEastern Cape),South Africa
Died	20 February 2005(2005-02-20)(aged 85)
Political party	African National Congress South African Communist Party
Spouse(s)	Joyce Meke ​ ​ (m.1943; died 1960)​ Dideka Heliso ​ (m.1986)​
Children	8 children including: Bukeka Mhlaba (daughter) Nomalungelo Mhlaba (daughter) Jongintshaba Mhlaba (son) Mpilo Mhlaba (son) Nomawethu Mhlaba (daughter) Nikiwe Mhlaba (daughter)

Raymond Mphakamisi MhlabaOMSG(12 February 1920 – 20 February 2005) was an anti-apartheidactivist, Communist and leader of theAfrican National Congress(ANC) also as well the firstpremier of the Eastern Cape.Mhlaba spent 25 years of his life in prison. Well known for being sentenced, along withNelson Mandela,Govan Mbeki,Walter Sisuluand others in theRivonia Trial,he was an active member of the ANC and theSouth African Communist Party(SACP) all his adult life. His kindly manner brought him the nickname "Oom Ray".

Personal life

Mhlaba was born in Mazoka village in theFort Beaufortdistrict,Eastern Capeand was educated at Healdtown secondary school but had to drop out because of financial problems Mhlaba started working at a laundry inPort Elizabethafter leaving school in 1942. He met and married his first wife,Joyce Meke,who was also from theFort Beaufortarea in 1943. In their 17 years together, before her death in a car accident in 1960, they had three children Bukeka, Nomalungelo and Jongintshaba. In 1982, Mhlaba, who had been a political prisoner inRobben Islandsince 1964, was transferred toPollsmoor Prisonwhere he received special permission marry his common-law wifeDideka Helisoin 1986, with whom he had three children Mpilo, Nomawethu and Nikiwe.

Early political career

Mhlaba started working at a laundry inPort Elizabethafter leaving school in 1942. The horrendous conditions at the laundry converted him to a trade unionist and he became the leader ofNon European Laundry Workers Unionin 1943. In 1943, he joined theSouth African Communist Party,serving as the party's district secretary from 1946 until the party was banned in 1950. In 1944, he became a member of theAfrican National Congress.From 1944 Mhlaba maintained dual membership of theANCand theSACP.He rose through the ANC ranks becoming the chairman of thePort Elizabethbranch of the ANC from 1947 to 1953, and then elected to the Cape Executive committee. Mhlaba was the first to be arrested for disobeying apartheid laws during the nationwide Defiance Campaign of 1952 together with Govan Mbeki andVuyisile Minifor three months inRooi Hel('Red Hell' or North End Prison, Port Elizabeth). The campaign was launched in Port Elizabeth when Mhlaba led a group of volunteers singing freedom songs through the "Whites Only" entrance of the New Brighton Railway Station. This action earned him the Xhosa nickname "Vulindlela" or "he who opens the way." That same year, Mhlaba was charged under South Africa's Suppression of Communism Act. Although his political activities continued, he was barred from attending meetings or gatherings. After the ANC was banned on 8 April under the Unlawful Organisations Act, the party took up the armed struggle forming its military wingUmkhonto we Sizwe.Mhlaba was one of its first recruits and was sent to China for military training.Before leaving he assisted Mandela in writing the Umkhonto constitution. In 1962, Mhlaba returned to South Africa, becoming a commander of the MK after Nelson Mandela's arrest.

Rivonia Trial

On 11 July 1963 the South African apartheid government raided the ANC's underground headquarters in Rivonia, north of Johannesburg. Mhlaba and 10 other ANC and SACP leaders includingAhmed Kathrada,Walter Sisulu and Govan Mbeki were arrested and Nelson Mandela was already in prison. They were charged with sabotage and conspiracy to overthrow the government. On 9 October 1963, the world-famousRivonia Trialwith all the accused charged with high treason. On 12 June 1964, Mhlaba, Mandela and seven other ANC leaders were sentenced to life imprisonment, and all were sent toRobben Islandbut the whiteDenis Goldbergwas sent toPretoria Central Prisoninstead of Robben Island.

Struggle from prison

During his time in Robben Island, Mhlaba and other ANC members founded the ANC High Command or High Organ with Mandela as its head. The committee educated and supported younger imprisoned members, formulated policies on day-to-day concerns, prisoners' complaints, and strikes, and enforced discipline within their isolation unit.Looking back at their time in Robben Island Mandela said of Mhlaba: "I got to know him as the peacemaker. He spent a lot of time urging fellow prisoners to forget their differences and unite so that conditions for prisoners could improve."

Release from prison

After his release from prison on 15 October 1989, he was elected to the ANC national executive and the South African Communist Party central committee. He became national chairperson of the SACP in 1995.

In January 1994 he was chosen as the ANC's nominee asPremier of the Eastern Cape,and in May 1994 he was elected to that post. He helped to establish the house of traditional leaders. He then became the High Commissioner toUgandaandRwanda,until he retired in 2001. In April 2001 he released a book of his memoirs, narrated by him and researched and compiled byThembeka Mafumadi. He was chairperson of a black economic empowerment consortium involved in the Coega port project, but suffered a stroke on 19 July 2003, recovering quickly.

Death

In 2004, Mhlaba was diagnosed with advancedliver cancer,and in December doctors discharged him from a private clinic saying there was nothing they could do for him. On 20 February 2005 he died in hospital. He was grantedstate funeralon 27 February 2005. Mhlaba is survived by his three sons and five daughters, his wife Dideka Mhlaba having died on 18 January 2010.

Legacy

Mhlaba is seen as a stalwart member of both the ANC and the SACP. He was recognised with theIsitwalandwe Medalin 1992 for his role in the liberation struggle, and the Moses Kotane Award in 2002 for his contribution to the SACP. The Nkonkobe Local Municipality which includes Alice and Mhlaba's hometownFort Beaufortwas renamed theRaymond Mhlaba Local Municipalityand Andries Pretorius street, The R30 in Bloemfontein was renamed after Raymond Mhlaba to honour him. There's an ANC branch named after him in Mpumalanga, Nkangala region, sub-region Thembisile Hani ward 11 in Verena.

External links

• Obituary