Dr Ian Phillips, special advisor to Minister of Transport Mr Jeff Radebe
10 April 2007
The death of Dr Ian Phillips leaves a gaping wound in our hearts. He who
chose to make a difference by dedicating his entire life to the liberation
struggle has now departed for the ever after.
Many a time Ian would find himself in an African National Congress (ANC)
branch meeting in KwaMashu and would for most of the time sit there
quietly.
Ian Phillips was an intellectual giant. Light of build and physique, Ian
would deploy his supreme mind at the oddest of places and times.
When however Ian raised his finger as he would characteristically do, he
would give a strategic direction to the meeting that would shift its focus
entirely.
When as the people of South Africa we attained our liberation, Ian had a
choice to go back to his job at university. We have no doubt that many
institutions would have been only too happy to have him in their staff, but Ian
Phillips could not return to the ivory towers as the ANC deployed him as a
Member of Parliament in Cape Town.
When Ian passed away, he was a dedicated and loyal advisor to Minister of
Transport Mr Jeff Radebe. Those of us, who worked with both Minister Radebe and
Ian Phillips during the liberation struggle in the ANC underground and
following the unbanning of political organisations, can attest to the close
comradeship that existed between the two cadres.
Like the Phillips family we feel a great sense of loss at this time. The
people of KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa feel that one of their own has
suddenly been taken away from their company.
We also feel our greatest pain for Minister Radebe. As he has said before,
Ian's departure amounts to the removal of half his brain. This sums up our own
feelings at this time.
We feel we have lost virtually half of the brains of the ANC underground
struggle in KwaZulu-Natal; we have lost half the library of the socialist and
intellectual writers of South Africa and the world which Ian was an expert
on.
We have lost a true cadre of the broader liberation movement, selfless,
humble, honest, hard working and dedicated to the total freedom of our
people.
While some public intellectuals often see themselves as dedicated to the
independence of their pursuits, Ian collapsed that freedom under the discipline
and command of the ANC. These are the characteristics which lived side by side
in Dr Ian Phillips.
Ian was one of the intellectuals who conceived of the idea of our new nation
as a distinct entity from the tribal or ethnic responses to colonialism. Thus
we were able to embrace the notion of a common society and a united South
Africa.
On behalf of the people of KwaZulu-Natal I would like to say we have lost a
true son of Africa, a true son of South Africa.
Hamba Kahle Comrade Ian
Issued by: Office of the Premier, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
10 April 2007
