occasion of the funeral of Eric Molobi
10 June 2006
Programme Director
Master of ceremonies
Martha Molobi, Lele and Tiisetso
The Molobi family
Ladies and gentlemen
On behalf of the Government and the people of South Africa, I wish to extend
our heartfelt condolences to the Molobi family in particular, his colleagues at
Kagiso Trust and Kagiso Trust Investments, at the untimely passing of one of
the finest sons of our beloved country. The loss and despair we all feel is
beyond words. Even those words we can muster will forever remain inadequate
when we try to match them against the life of this illustrious friend, father
and comrade.
Indeed, over the past few days many of you have given and heard testimony on
the life he led, the love he gave the foundations he built and the rich legacy
he leaves behind.
In his youth, he responded, like his great friend Onkgopotse Tiro, to the
call of the liberation movement to fight for the freedom of all South Africans.
As his journey took him though the well-trodden path to Robben Island, his
resolve to continue the good fight never diminished. No surprise then that when
he was eventually released from Robben Island he was not content just to sit
back in the face of the relentless repression of the Apartheid regime.
The United Democratic Front (UDF) was to give Eric yet another avenue
through which he would continue to give of himself to the cause of freedom for
his people. It was through Ericâs deep commitment to bring about a fundamental
change to the education system in our country that our paths met. I got the
opportunity and privilege to get to know him.
In 1986 the National Education Crisis Committee (NECC) was formed as a
direct reaction to the banning of Congress of South African Students (Cosas),
and the collapse of the national education system particularly in black
schools. Eric together with comrades such as, Valli Moosa, Brother Jude, Curtis
Nkondo, Sheila Sisulu, Angie Motsege and others stood up for education with
liberation.
Testimony to the manâs insights and farsightedness about the importance of
education as a tool for liberation is contained in a paper Education as a
Liberation Force that was presented at the Children of Resistance conference in
Harare. In that paper Eric observed that education has been a focal point of
black resistance, particularly amongst the children themselves. In his usual
style of being ever the reconciler and bridge builder, Eric observed that the
white child was just as disenfranchised as the black child in being robbed of a
quality education. He said:
âThe bad effects of apartheid education do not affect only the black child.
White education for white children is equally bad. These children, coming from
socially privileged but acutely secluded lives, are taken through a system
which not only distorts their conceptions of the black school child's world,
but also through calculated omissions, also deprives them of the fuller
understanding of their country. The white child grows up with negative
stereotypes which are strengthened by the regimeâs policies. In the media, he
or she internalises lies, distortions, political propaganda aimed at protecting
racial superiority. The worst and unfortunate thing for that child is the day
he is called up to don the South African Defence Force (SADF) uniform, when he
has to take up arms against other children in the townships. Here he is thrown
into a mental make-up of the so-called national security. He realises that, in
order to protect the white nation, he must protect his own skin in the face of
thousands of angry black children. He resorts to the gun, to the destruction of
lives, he becomes a schizophrenic because he can't cope with the double life he
is called upon to live: the glossy life of his parents and white communities,
the life of success, of big business, of quiet suburbia and green luxurious
gardens, against that of black bleeding bodies that die in township
debris.â
This message still has the same resonance today. We are still challenged to
continue relentlessly to entrench a people cantered education and political
system that meets the requirements of a developmental state.
Today, Kagiso Trust (KT) and Kagiso Trust Investments remain a fitting tribute
to his philosophy of life and commitment to the development and advancement of
the poorest of the poor in our country.
The principle of education as a liberation force lived on with Eric since
his National Education Co-ordinating Conference (NECC) days, and with his
leadership Kagiso Trust has provided over thirty thousand (30 000) bursaries
towards the education of the underprivileged. The Trust has disbursed over 1.2
Billion Rand to South Africans, 70% specifically to young people in rural
communities. Many are professionals today and they are serving the nation in
different ways.
I had the privilege of working with him as a founder member of Education
Development Trust another education organisation which benefited yet immensely
from Ericâs love for development of our people. I remember how Eric ensured we
developed a plan that enabled the Education Development Trust (EDT) students to
do some community work before they graduated.
KT contributed to research projects looking into education programs which
informed the education policies of the African National Congress and our
democratic South Africa. He was one of the Education activists that supported
National Education Policy Investigation which gave us the guiding principles on
education for the Post Apartheid South Africa.
Today KT directly touches over twenty thousand (20 000) lives due to
employment directly within the group, which if you do the maths could translate
to at about 60 000 lives if we are to include the families of the employees.
His involvement in other organisations as a board member ensured that his
principles live on and touch a wide space within business in South Africa. I
think we can associate Eric with the KT brand. He actually nurtured and guided
since 1990 till his untimely death. From a charity organisation to a JSE listed
company. Brilliant! Ladies and gentlemen, a unique path for the
organisation!
A few months ago I had the opportunity to talk to him and congratulate him
and Kagiso Trust for the contribution they are making to our nation. I told him
that I wished we could clone the Kagiso Based Black Economic Empowerment model
because it is indeed one of the most successful models. This is another lesson
and legacy he has left us, I want to urge young people to learn from this great
man to emulate the principles by which Eric lived, and selflessly contribute to
the liberation from South Africaâs big enemy: poverty. In this June 2006, when
we celebrate 30 years of youth heroism, our young people must take a leaf from
Ericâs life who like one the other young people of the 1970s, gave his youth to
the nation even as they faced death or jail. The question today is, how can the
young people of today write their own history, so that Ericâs life is given
even a greater meaning?
Friends and Comrades, everybody who knew Eric praises his great qualities of
sound principles in all aspects of life be it business, political or personal.
Eric was humble and unassuming. The ugly head of corruption continually rears
its head in our society and Government. On this important national issue, Eric
once again provided leadership.
He insisted that any Kagiso employee who was found to be involved in any
corrupt activity be dismissed immediately, and, he would rather see Kagiso
disinvest from a company if there was anything questionable. It is no surprise
that Kagiso today is associated with solid ethics and integrity. Long before we
had sophisticated knowledge on how corporate governance works in the private
sector, Eric had practiced good corporate governance in the non-government
organisation (NGO) sector through upholding high ethics. He institutionalised
good values in the organisation he served.
He wanted Kagiso to stand out as a remarkable achievement of the black
empowerment project. He developed it from a being a donor-funded socio
political organisation to a self-reliant developmental listed corporate entity.
Today it is one of the NGOs that survived and adapted fully into the New South
Africa.
Eric was a bridge builder, he stood firm and held to principled position
without resorting to a shouting matches. He knew the importance of bridge
building, the meaning of a unifying stand that is principled. He knew that life
was not about shades of black or white but shades of grey where more could be
accommodated and unity built. Even his calm tentative smile captured that gift
of an open minded and holistic person.
HE was a development activist of note, educator, and visionary who also
became a giant in business. If you want to see the cadre that the peoples
struggle sought to create in the process of struggle, look no further. He lived
the transformation agenda to the end. Martha, Lele and Tiisetso: Yours was a
great husband and father. When he set about to build the Kagiso Group, his
vision was clear he wanted to build an enduring institution not a quick
empowerment proposition.
As those who now take over and move forward with Ericâs vision, the enduring
Kagiso institution will be a living memorial for all that he stood for and
achieved. And when the history of our nascent democracy is written, Ericâs role
will be cemented in history. Today, South Africa cries with you and salutes a
great man.
Take comfort from the words of the Prophet Isaiah: âTo comfort all who
mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion to bestow them a crown of
beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment
of praise instead of a spirit of despair.â
Issued by: The Presidency
10 June 2006
