Yawa, at the funeral service of the late Mrs Agnes Maribe, Jouberton
27 April 2006
Programme Director
Bishop Nkwe
Baruti le Bagogi
The Bereaved families, Boo-Rra Maribe, Boo-Rra Ramphora
Community leaders
Relatives, comrades and friends
Fellow mourners
The 19th Century Cuban Revolutionary, Visionary, Poet and Author, Jose Marti
once said, "I have lived, it was to duty that I pledged my arms and not once
did the sun drop down behind the hills that did not see my struggle and my
victory."
Mme Aggie Maribe and the late veteran struggle heroine, comrade, Motlalepule
Ellen Khuzwayo, may also rightfully lay claim to these words, for our sun saw
their struggle and their victory as they toiled every day in pursuit of the
cause of our people.
I am privileged and honoured to convey the sincere condolences of the
Premier of the North West province and my colleagues in the Executive Council
to the Maribe and Ramphora families, their friends and fellow congregants in
the Anglican Church on the loss of a wife, a mother, a sister in the faith, a
neighbour and a friend.
Death is a painful trial, not only to the bereaved family, relatives and
friends, but also to all of us who had come to know the Mme Maribe. It tests
our collective strength, courage and hope. It also tests our ability and
humanity to close ranks with the bereaved.
Whilst we know that this grief will pass, and become part of our past, we
trust that you will in mourning her passing away, also be able to celebrate her
life, her achievements, her contribution and dedication to her husband, her
family and her community.
We have converged on this day therefore to pay tribute to and salute her as
a special person who had occupied a special place in our lives, one whose life
touched thousands of us in a special way.
Mme Maribe was a true human being who was passionate in love. She valued
life and cherished freedom and equality. It is therefore only fair for us to
grieve and mourn the loss of her life. It makes sense that we should feel a
terrible sense of desolation. No words are enough to take away your grief;
however, our thoughts and prayers will always be with you during these trying
times.
May we take courage comfort and strength from the words of the Apostle Paul
who said, "Who shall separate us from the love of God? Shall tribulation or
distress or persecution or famine, or nakedness or peril or sword? Yet, in all
of these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loves us. For I am
persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor
powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any
other created things, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which
is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Psalm 125 Verse 1 also says, "Those who trust in the Lord, are like Mount
Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever."
The clear and unequivocal and unprecedented mandate that we have received
from our people in the 1 March 2006 local government elections has placed a
profound responsibility on us as an African National Congress (ANC)
government.
We understood that mandate to mean that we should redouble our efforts to
accelerate change, that we should redouble our pace of delivery of basic
services, that we should redouble our effort to eradicate poverty and the
creation of a better life for all.
Our sun saw the struggle of Chris Hani and our people's victory as we toiled
every day in pursuit of the cause of our people. Our sun saw the struggle of
Chris Hani and our people's victory as we toiled every day in pursuit of
socialism. That is the freedom that many fought and gave their lives for. That
is the freedom that Mme Maribe wanted.
We wish Mme Maribe a peaceful rest, assured that we will not betray her
hopes for freedom.
Gomotsegang! Akwehlanga! Lungehlanga!
God be with you.
Ke a leboga.
Issued by: Department of Public Works, North West Provincial
Government
27 April 2006
Source: North West Provincial Government (http://www.nwpg.gov.za)
