Eulogy by President Jacob Zuma at the funeral of Minister Collins Chabane, the Minister for Public Service and Administration Xikundu village, Malamulele, Limpopo
Manana Nwa Rueben Chabane,
Mrs Chabane and all members of the family,
Premier of Limpopo province,
Ministers, Premiers, Deputy Ministers, MECs, Executive mayors, councilors,
Members of Parliament and provincial legislatures,
Leadership of the ANC, SACP, COSATU and SANCO
Representatives of various sectors,
Comrades and friends
Fellow South Africans,
We have gathered on Human Rights Day, to pay our last respects and bid farewell to one of the finest cadres produced in the course of our struggle for liberation.
The horrific tragedy in the early hours of Sunday morning, the 15th of March, robbed us of this brilliant son of Xikundu village and son of South Africa.
We also lost the lives of dedicated police officers, Lesiba Sekele and Lawrence Lentsoane. Their passing was sudden, tragic and shocking. We once again extend our deepest condolences to the Sekele and Lentsoane families, who are also laying their loved ones to rest this sad weekend.
I still recall how shaken I was when I heard that Comrade Collins Chabane was no more, to the extent of phoning his wife around 5am only to find that the news had not yet been broken to her.
The country has been in mourning because of the untimely passing of this patriot who was admired and respected for his simplicity, humility and profound intellect.
We have seen the week-long celebration of the life of a man who dedicated his life to the struggle for freedom, justice and equality, and who has also served his country diligently since the dawn of freedom.
Born and bred in humble conditions engineered by the apartheid regime, Comrade Collins was drawn to the struggle for national liberation and became an active member of the underground ANC at the early age of seventeen.
We were among those who recruited him into MK and who prepared him politically and militarily for his responsibilities.
He displayed amazing maturity and determination.
While executing underground tasks he was arrested and was sentenced to nine year imprisonment on Robben Island.
During the transitional period, he contributed immensely to the development of our country's progressive Constitution.
His interest in constitutional affairs has also assisted the ANC. He has served the organisation capably as chairperson of the National Executive Committee’s subcommittee on constitutional affairs.
When the ANC came into government in 1994, he served as a member of parliament in the national assembly and later in the Limpopo government as an MEC.
After the Polokwane conference of the ANC in 2007, we began planning to introduce the type of government structure that would enable us to implement the resolutions of the conference.
We gave him the task of leading a sub-committee on the reconfiguration of the structures, processes and workings of government.
In 2008 we spent a few months traversing the country to hear the views of the people to inform the 2009 election manifesto.
We interacted with thousands of South Africans in various people’s forums. They told us that they wanted to see an urgent improvement in service delivery.
They made it clear that we have very good policies, but that these would only improve people’s lives more effectively if the public service becomes more responsive, interactive and effective.
The complaints raised included, amongst others, the capacity gaps in local government, the poor quality of some of the public services rendered and the failure to respond to inquiries and complaints and to provide information.
Other complaints indicated weak planning capacity across the three spheres of government and weak monitoring and evaluation.
It became clear to us that we had to change the shape and focus of government, and also change the culture and ethos of government in order to improve service delivery.
The committee chaired by Comrade Collins took all these factors into account, preparing for the fourth ANC administration, so that after elections we could hit the ground running. And indeed, we did.
A new structure of government was introduced in 2009. Among key changes introduced, we decided to improve the ability of the Presidency to supervise government.
We had to introduce a system of the alignment of plans and programmes across spheres within a spatial development framework. We also deemed it necessary to improve the capacity for effective monitoring and evaluation nationally.
Comrade Collins was appointed Minister responsible for Performance Monitoring and Evaluation in the Presidency. He established a new Department, which has become very effective in monitoring the implementation of government policies and in evaluating the impact thereof in the lives of all our people.
I worked closely with him in establishing this new function in government, including designing performance agreements for Ministers who in turn developed delivery agreements with their partners such as provincial MECs.
With his sharp and incisive mind, determination and diplomacy, he was able to get the work done and to obtain support and understanding.
He submitted quarterly reports to Cabinet and the public. He made his colleagues angry at times when they disagreed with his reports.
Perhaps his personality and leadership style held him in good stead in difficult situations. He never allowed passion and emotion to stand on the way of reason. He was always calm.
He also had a sense of humour which enabled him to prepare a soft landing for whatever difficult messages he wanted to communicate.
His department’s progress reports, and other monitoring tools provided the President and Cabinet the opportunity to assess progress, guide and ensure timely interventions where necessary, to ensure the realisation of the commitments we had set for ourselves.
Last year, when the country celebrated 20 years of freedom, Minister Chabane led the process of developing a twenty year review, critically assessing the progress of the ANC government since 1994.
The review is objective and did not hesitate to point out where the government could have done better.
In the new administration after elections last year, he was appointed Minister of Public Service and Administration.
The Department of Public Service and Administration or the DPSA, is the heart and engine of government. It determines the shape and impact of the public service.
If we are to effectively implement the Batho Pele principles which in the main are about changing the public service into a caring, efficient and effective machinery, you need someone who understands how government works and who knows what needs to be fixed.
After carefully searching among us, Comrade Collins emerged as the right candidate for this task.
He had good plans about taking the department and the public service forward, and we all have a responsibility to take his vision forward.
His passion was to improve the functioning of frontline service department and the performance of frontline staff who deal with the public directly. He had begun this work during his previous monitoring and evaluation portfolio.
He was optimistic that the services would improve after visiting a number of service centres around the country.
He told the government’s Public Sector magazine’s December edition, “The feedback basically is they are prepared to work, they are prepared to improve. They need help from government to assist them with some of the working instruments’’ he said.
We urge our frontline service staff that serve people directly to take forward Minister Chabane’s vision and serve our people with dignity, respect, courtesy, efficiency and speed.
From our licensing departments’ staff to those responsible for applications for social grants and identity documents to nurses, police officers and those handling municipal enquiries, let us put our people first in memory of Minister Chabane.
Fellow South Africans,
In December 2013 a tragedy befell our country when our icon President Nelson Mandela passed on.
Minister Chabane endeared himself to all of us by the manner in which he arranged the funeral of President Mandela.
He led the Inter-Ministerial Committee on State Funerals capably and effortlessly, and pulled out all stops to give Madiba a befitting send-off.
Sadly, here we are today, bidding him farewell, so soon after Madiba.
He is laid to rest on Human Rights day, which on its own symbolises his unwavering commitment to the entrenchment of the human rights culture in our country. We could not join the national event in Uitenhage, commemorating the massacre that claimed the lives of our people 30 years ago.
As we bid farewell to Minister Chabane on Human Rights Day, we acknowledge the sacrifices that accompanied the struggle for democracy and reaffirm our commitment to advance human rights as enshrined in the Constitution.
The manner in which we lost him and the two police officers calls upon us to reflect deeply on road safety.
Drivers should observe the rules of the road, whether they see traffic officers or not. It is up to all of us to drive safely and save lives. The carelessness on the roads cannot continue in this manner. The human cost is enormous. Government cannot solve this problem alone. It requires the commitment and actions of all road users.
Fellow South Africans
A soldier has fallen. We must honour his memory by continuing the struggle for a better life for all especially the poor and the working class, for which he committed his entire life.
On behalf of government and the people of South Africa, we extend our deepest condolences to the Chabane family.
Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa who is representing me in Namibia at the inauguration of the President-Elect, Comrade Hage Geingob today, extended his condolences personally to the family during the week.
We have received countless messages from all corners of the country expressing pain and loss and paying tribute to Minister Chabane.
His staff sent me this message;
“We learned so much from the Minister, and were inspired by his sharp mind and hard work. He was so kind and warm to all staff members of all levels. We are devastated at his untimely passing. He was an empowering and an inspirational individual. He let his work speak for itself and shied away from glory and praise. Such humility and grace! We are in deep pain. May his soul rest in peace’’.
Indeed the loss of the Chabane family is the loss of the whole nation.
Chavani wa Mhinga, Nkuri, Dlamani, Ximambani, Maxakadzi, Malenga, Gunyule, Xixangaxile, Mun’wanati, Mucopi, xinyelababeni, Matoto ya tihuku.
Farewell freedom fighter, combatant, commissar, MK soldier, former political prisoner, a dedicated servant of the people, and accomplished musician, a husband, a father, and to me personally, a son.
Famba Kahle Animal, Nyamazane
Hamba kahle qhawe lamaqhawe.
Siyohlale sikukhumbula njalo.
I thank you.
