Opinion by Tiisetso Makhele
Yesterday, the Free State Legislature became a site of history, as it welcomed one of the rarest products of the people’s revolution Cde Polediso Dihelele Motsoeneng, into its ranks.
In 1986, 36 years ago, a young activist was detained without trial by the nonsensical, evil Apartheid regime at Bethlehem for his involvement in the struggle against Apartheid.
In the TRC Final Report, Volume 3, Chapter 4, Sub-Section 9, it is said; “Perhaps one of the most moving cases of the disruption of family life to emerge from the Orange Free State is the story of Mr Polediso Hubert Dihlelele Motsoeneng, who was detained without trial in Bethlehem for a total of eleven months during the 1986 state of emergency.
The report further states; “in detention, he was beaten and threatened with death. The first period of detention was for six months in 1986, the second for five months in 1987. During the latter, he said, police threatened to throw him from the third or fourth storey of the building in which he was detained”.
As if the above was not enough, the evil police, led by Major Stephenson, forced Cde Dihelele’s father to beat him. Imagine, beating your own son with fifty lashes for nonsense. This must have broken many a soul.
According to Cde Dihelele’s own account, the above incidents caused irreparable damages to his family and his own life.
Despite these acts of atrocity, Cde Dihelele became an iron that refused to bend. He became a stronger character instead.
As an activist local government leader in the 2000s, Cde Dihelele was vocal on transformation of the sector. He was adamant on compliance with legislation, to an extent that he became an irritant to others.
His love for political and ideological debates sets him apart from many of his generation. In fact, many would think he is of a younger generation.
His love for reading and ideological engagements gives us real hope, for it is not common sense, but scientific debates which can bring solutions to our challenges.
Often, we have seen the ANC, especially in the Free State, deploy quantity rather than quality in the legislature and Parliament.
Yesterday, we saw a conspicuous escape from the above nonsensical culture. We saw history as real quality ascended, preparing to really use the legislature to advance the revolution, not for photo contests.
Whenever I have the chance to engage with Cde Dihelele, I would always narrate to him how I enjoy listening to him engaging, for his inputs are devoid of gossips or empty common sense, but deep political and ideological sense and lexicon.
An avid reader of philosophical, social, political and ideological texts. A talented writer. A skilled orator and public speaker. An organic intellectual. A symbol of courage, perhaps because of his political experience. A scholar. A keen expert of public policy and legislation. A leader.
Congratulations on your ascension to the house of laws. Those who tortured you and destroyed your family didn’t know that one day, 36 years later, you will be sitting in the same house that made laws against you and your people.
Salute, Motsoeneng, Khiba, leleme le letsho ke ho koma ditlhare. Pela ya pele!
Makhele is an African Marxist and he writes what he likes
CENTRAL NEWS
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