Mbalula
By Natalie Naidoo
Secretary‑General of the African National Congress, Fikile Mbalula, today delivered a powerful keynote at the funeral and reburial ceremony for struggle veteran Adolphus “Boy” Mvemve at Johannesburg City Hall, honouring the liberation hero whose remains were finally returned to South Africa for burial.
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Introduction: A Nation Pays Tribute
On 15 June 2025, mourners gathered in Johannesburg City Hall to bid farewell to Adolphus “Boy” Mvemve – a revered MK (Umkhonto we Sizwe) stalwart assassinated on 12 February 1974 by a parcel bomb in Lusaka, Zambia. He was 43. With deep solemnity, ANC Secretary‑General Fikile Mbalula led the ceremony, emphasising Mvemve’s unwavering courage and sacrifice. This reburial coincides with the eve of National Youth Day (16 June), reminding South Africans that freedom is never free.
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Bringing Home a Fallen Hero
Mvemve’s mortal remains were located in November 2023 by the TRC’s Missing Persons Task Team among 42 unidentified graves in Lusaka. After careful exhumation, his body was repatriated in September 2024, marking a milestone in efforts to right the wrongs of apartheid-era violence. His final homecoming marks not only a literal return but a spiritual reunion with his people – underlining national healing and remembrance.
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A Life of Defiance and Dedication
Born in February 1931 in Alexandra Township, Mvemve joined the ANC in the 1950s and quickly emerged as a fiery youth league leader. As branch secretary in Alexandra, he helped organise the 1957 Alexandra Pass March, the 1959 potato boycott, and the 1960 anti‑pass protest. His early activism was rooted in a deep conviction that true leadership meant standing up for ordinary people, even when it risked one’s life.
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Exile and Commitment: John Dub’s Struggle Abroad
After his arrest by apartheid authorities, Mvemve assumed the MK nom de guerre “John Dub” in exile. He became ANC deputy chief representative in Zambia. His life in exile was marked by dedication and danger: he continued gathering support for liberation under constant threat from the apartheid regime. His unwavering commitment in exile is a testament to his extraordinary belief that freedom demanded sacrifice.
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The Fatal Bombing in Lusaka
On 12 February 1974, as Mvemve sorted through mail in his Lusaka office, a parcel bomb concealed in a book detonated. His death, a cowardly act of terror, struck at the heart of the ANC’s representation abroad. As Charles N. Lompson, then ANC Interim President, noted, the regime’s violence had escalated. But with Mvemve, it had struck a revolutionary too determined to be silenced. Instead, his assassination served only to highlight the brutality of apartheid and the strength of those who opposed it.
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A Symbol on the Eve of Youth Day
Mbalula noted that the decision to re‑bury Mvemve on 15 June held great symbolism: it was the eve of Youth Day, commemorating the 1976 Soweto uprising. “It is fitting,” he said, “that on the threshold of a day dedicated to young people’s sacrifice, we honour another generation’s hero.” Mvemve’s story, like that of the June 16 martyrs, reveals a deep truth: youth and defiance shape nations.
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Education Through Remembrance
The tribute was more than funeral ritual; it was a lesson in history. Mbalula emphasised that Mvemve’s journey—from township activism to exile and ultimate sacrifice—should serve as living history. Family, comrades, and clergy shared deeply personal recollections that painted a vivid picture of a revolutionary whose humanity was as real as his courage. His exodus from South Africa, abandoning his newly married wife to carry the struggle forward, spoke to the depth of his passion.
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Legacy Rooted in Principles
The Secretary‑General framed Mvemve’s life as a testament to the values central to the Freedom Charter: freedom, equality, non‑racialism, and non‑sexism. Mvemve and his fellow cadres—like Florence Moro, also from Alexandra—were honoured as pillars of these ideals. Their self‑sacrificing leadership planted seeds that future generations continue to harvest.
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The Brutality of Apartheid Exposed
Mbalula reminded mourners that Mvemve’s killing was hardly an isolated incident. Apartheid used parcel bombs to eliminate activists even in exile: for instance, comrades like Ruth First by letter bomb in Maputo (1982) and Father Michael Lapsley in Harare (1990). These “brutal and colourless tactics” were designed to intimidate the movement, but instead they underscored activism’s potency. Mvemve became a martyr, proving apathy could never break resolute fighters.
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Reburying Warriors, Rebuilding the ANC
The reburial symbolises more than personal honour: it indicates a turning point for the ANC. Mbalula asserted that repatriating veterans who died abroad is essential for organisational renewal and national unity. “Their spirits are like blossoming flowers that nourish our movement,” he said, urging Today’s ANC to reclaim its moral authority and recommit to the national democratic revolution.
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A Continuing Struggle Through Generations
“A movement is only as strong as its youngest followers,” Mbalula said to applause, warning that the 2024 strategic setback is only temporary. Mvemve’s example—walking into the “eye of the storm”—guides current youth leadership to overcome division. A united ANC must embody the virtues of sacrifice and service exhibited by its pioneers.
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Honouring Beyond Death: Order of Ikhamanga
Mvemve has been posthumously honoured with the Presidential Order of Ikhamanga for exceptional bravery. His award recognises both his earlier efforts in underground activism and his unbroken presence as a representative in exile.
By turning his mortal remains into a national ceremony, the government extends its respect—not just to the man, but to the generations he inspired.
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Reconciliation with History Through Ritual
Friday’s ceremony served as a powerful act of national healing. As the TRC located and identified his remains, South Africa acknowledged the wounds left by apartheid spanning borders and generations.
Mabalula highlighted how the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Missing Persons Task Team worked tirelessly in 2023 to reunite dozens of families. This reburial is part of the country’s ongoing account of its past.
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Political Attendance and National Pause
Dignitary attendance was significant:
• Acting Premier of Gauteng, Tasneem Motara, spoke on behalf of provincial leadership.
• National convenor of MK War Veterans, ministers, MPs, and MPLs were present.
• The President was absent due to travel to the G7 in Canada; Deputy President Paul Mashatile, constrained by official duties, also regretted his absence.
Despite absences, the ANC’s National Executive Committee, provincial structures, clergy, and youth movements showed up in solidarity.
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The ANC’s Recommitment to Its Origins
Mbalula used the occasion to reaffirm the ANC’s hopes to rebuild. He urged renewed focus on non-racial, non-sexist democratic values and to energise organisational and ideological transformation—a critical step after recent internal turbulence.
He reminded the audience: “Heroes of the masses never die… They live in our hearts and minds.” Indeed, Mvemve’s life now teaches another generation.
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Conclusion: A Life Woven into Nationhood
By returning Adolphus “Boy” Mvemve to his homeland, South Africa honours not only the man, but the lessons he offered. Love for the people outweighed fear. Commitment to freedom surpassed personal comfort.
As Mbalula encapsulated: “Comrade’s hands may have been silenced, but his echo rose loud like thunder.” With the Order of Ikhamanga pinned on the national soul and his body resting in South African soil, his spirit will continue guiding every citizen who believes in equality and dignity.
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