The inaugural Albertina Sisulu Memorial lecture delivered a powerful message of unity and social justice, as speakers reflected on the lasting impact of one of the African National Congress (ANC)’s foremost female leaders - Albertina Sisulu.
Former president Jacob Zuma, who delivered a keynote address which touched on the criticism of the negotiations, revealed that the West forced the white people of this country to negotiate with the ANC as they feared that losing power through the barrel of the gun would strongly reduce their rule in the new dispensation.
“Therefore, the Western countries said we are instructing you to negotiate because you have no alternative, if you compare two things fighting and you are defeated, you will have no role to play in this country than negotiating for your future, so that you can at least have some role to play... We as the Western countries will not continue supporting you if you continue fighting,” Zuma said.
Organised in partnership with the Albertina Sisulu Foundation for Social Justice and the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Faculty of Health Sciences, the event bore the theme: “The Sisulu Legacy and the Future of Socio-Economic Justice in Africa.”
During the lecture, which took place against a backdrop of ongoing socio-economic disparities across the continent, the recurring message was clear: Africans must unite to reclaim their true identity and heritage.
Professor Kwame Amuah highlighted the detrimental legacy of colonialism, which he argued has stunted Africa’s growth and fostered division to advance Western imperial interests. “I characterise Africa as proper and improper,” he explained.
“The Africa proper was before slavery at its peak; it needed no source of woman endeavour. They then created the Africa improper, which embodies the spirit of fighting for justice. Some of our ancestors were taken to the so-called New World, but they forget that there were Africans there before them.”
Amuah hailed the late Sisulu for embodying the values that both she and her husband, Walter, championed throughout their lives. He urged attendees to remember the significance of their legacies as they navigate the modern socio-political landscape.
“We must all come back to our greatness as Africans,” he stated, connecting their struggles to contemporary issues of inequality highlighted by a recent World Bank report branding Africa the most unequal continent.
“This challenges us to reflect on what Albertina and Walter Sisulu stood for, a relentless focus on justice.”
Her Excellency Ambassador Arikana Chihombori Quao, MD and founder of the African Diaspora Development Institute (ADDI), also echoed similar sentiments during her address.
Encouraging diaspora Africans to return home, she said: “A respected Africa equals a respected people of Africa, and as the institute we are in the process of waking up Africans in the diaspora to tell them they have inherited a great continent. That Africa is home, and they need to come back and take their inheritance.”
Quao shared her personal connection with Lindiwe Sisulu, Albertina’s daughter, highlighting the potential impact of the foundation in fostering social justice in South Africa.
Professor Linda Ronnie, UCT’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, reiterated the importance of collective responsibility in creating an equal society.
“We stand here today, not only to remember Albertina Sisulu’s life but also to renew our commitment to the values she held dear,” she said.
She further encouraged attendees to draw inspiration from Sisulu’s legacy as they strive for social and economic justice on the continent. “Albertina Sisulu, fondly known as Ma Sisulu or Mother of the Nation, dedicated her life to the fight against apartheid and pursued social justice.”
The Star