Celebrating Mac Maharaj: a legacy of leadership in South Africa's freedom

MAC Maharaj was a giant of our freedom struggle in South Africa. Recognised for his negotiating skills, his tenacity in organising work and his incisive mind he established himself as a pre-eminent leader within the ranks of the ANC/SACP.

Mac, while remaining a humble servant of the movement, reported directly to Oliver Tambo in exile in his capacity as secretary of the politico/military committee of the ANC.

Mac was blessed with both organising skills and sharp political thinking.

Hence his deployment in 1977 to Lusaka, Zambia, going into exile to run the underground machinery of the ANC.

He entered South Africa illegally and at great risk during the dark days of apartheid to enhance the organising work of the alliance.

Some of us took care of our leaders during those turbulent times.

At the La Mercy Beach hotel I hosted many political activists. 

I fondly recall listening to Radio Freedom which was broadcast from Lusaka with Mac being a regular commentator. Our hearts would swell with pride as he would refer to the great mass work taking place in the Durban region in the 1980s.

At that time many leaders were in and out of the country and if arrested they would be tortured and assaulted before being tried for insurrection. 

Mac, Ebrahim Ismail Ebrahim were targeted by the State for their incursions into the country. On another occasion I witnessed a gentleman with a goatee beard at the home of Moe Shaik.

The dog was very friendly to him and I realised that he was a regular visitor at that home. We were trained to be disciplined and never asked questions. Every piece of information was on a "need to know basis." 

Some of us fondly called him Mac, Chacha.

Mac was the first non- African to be elected onto the NEC of the ANC at the Qwabe conference in 1985. His contribution to our country was immense and must be recorded in the annals  of our history.

He is a recipient of the Order of Luthuli in Silver given by our democratic state. 

His appointment to the secretariat of CODESA was truly deserving as we ushered in a new democratic era.

He was highly respected by Nelson Mandela, who told us that he always dealt with Mac outside the meetings, never challenging him in the presence of others. Mandela had the utmost trust in Mac and gave his writings which Mac smuggled out of Robben Island, stashed in his belt. That was the basis of the book, The Long Walk to Freedom.   

Notwithstanding his involvement in CODESA, Mac was part of a team of SACP cadres that initiated Operation Vula, to ensure that they were still in control even if negotiations with the Nats failed.

The big Vula meeting took place in La Mercy, Tongaat. Luminaries like Joe Slovo, Chris Hani, Mac Maharaj, Pravin Gordhan, Simpiwe Nyanda, Moe Shaik and many other activists were in attendance, trashing out a strategy to deal with the scenario if negotiated settlements were not achieved. 

The Tongaat Minute was crafted at this meeting. A cottage in South Beach Road, near La Mercy Beach Hotel, was used for the discussions.

Our high profile delegates stayed at a penthouse in Malabar Flats and the aeroplane house in Tongaat Beach. Arising out of this many were subsequently charged by the Apartheid State for Insurrection but the charges were later dropped. Even Mandela and Thabo Mbeki did not know about these meetings. Post 1994 I enjoyed listening to the anecdotes and recounting by Mac of his experiences in exile and the life-threatening underground work he did.

We used to savour those stories over a couple of tipples.

On the occasion of his 90th birthday, the people of South Africa salute this tireless freedom fighter, soldier of our peoples’ army, political activist and theorist; underground operative, community leader and a struggle icon. Thank you for shaping our lives, our political thinking and building our understanding of mass mobilisation of the people.

Mac Maharaj celebrated his 90th birthday on April 22. 

Logie Naidoo is a political activist and the former eThekwini Mayor. 

** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media. 

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