e-mail: ericn@dispatch.co.za

I WAS under an understandable amount of pressure from a lot of people, including some high level members of society and colleagues, to respond to this week's Enoch Godongwana's so-called "right of reply" and ill-conceived attack on my person. I may reply to him, if at all, but at the right time and after giving it deep thought.

I would rather talk about important issues like the late Langelihle Lawrence "Jozzi" Ndwandwe, whose political credentials and contribution to the struggle were undoubted, unlike certain of our contemporary leaders here. Had it not been for his former colleague, Xolela Gift Mabona, Ndwandwe's passing would have gone almost unnoticed in this part of the country.

Ndwandwe passed away on November 3 and his funeral was held in Klerksdorp last Saturday. Among the people who attended his funeral were VIPs such as the Klerksdorp executive mayor Jaycee Nxamakele and North West Public Works MEC H Yawa, a large contingent of people from East London and his former colleagues at DaimlerChrysler SA (DCSA).

He did his primary education at Zamukulunga in Sharpeville and later matriculated at St Barnabas College in Johannesburg in 1986. He furthered his studies at Brighton College in London before obtaining an MSc degree (Industrial Engineering) from Wits University. He worked for BMW (1994) and later joined DaimlerChrysler SA. Ndwandwe was sent to study in Germany for 18 months only to find that he had no position at his company even with his impressive qualifications. He had to look for a job for five months before eventually taking a package in 2002 and he left the firm.

Langelihle, 36, a third son of Bishop and Mrs Ndwandwe was born at Moletsane, Soweto. He is survived by his wife, Mmabatho, and sons, Sthunywa and Mbiko.

Speaking at the funeral as part of the moving tributes showered on this young man, Mayor Nxamakele described Ndwandwe as "an individual whose life and those of others like him represent the depth of the spirit of our people to triumph against adversities".

"Without being over-generous allow me to say you were uniquely a standard bearer of political consciousness while a student. As a student you fought almost as a complete army by yourself... the internal strategy and the tactics on how to attack the enemy and destroy it at the turn of the '80s instilled in you the qualities of an all-round underground organiser which later underpinned your unique qualities as an ANC revolutionary," Nxamakele said.

A very touching poetic tribute was delivered by Ndwandwe's best friend Xolile Mazabane, an attorney as follows (edited):

A tribute to friend

WHEN the era for the end of the existence of human-kind comes, when the Almighty's purpose in giving us the privilege and grace to populate the earth is ultimately fulfilled, when a mesmerizing loud horn is blown calling all of us to account for our live's activities, I would respectfully submit that my insignificant life has seen things which were not meant for the human eye. That I had the undeserved privilege and honour of walking with giants, like my dear friend Langelihle Lawrence Ndwandwe.

He who could raise echoes of objections against racial tyranny when few could even gather strength to raise a whisper. I speak of the descendent of the great Ndwandwe clan of ancient times. A man whose great grandfathers struck a cord of fear in the heart of even the fearless King Shaka Zulu.

I'll tell because my tongue cannot keep dumb in the face of a world with so much hatred. Langelihle , I'll tell of your unwavering devotion and love for your family, your honours and solidarity amongst your comrades, your unconditional respect and love for all, irrespective of social standing.

I'll tell of your unsurpassed humility in the face of your enormous achievements, that would have made mere mortals burn with a sense of uncontrollable pride. Yet still, I'll remind all those who are tempted, like me, by your life's work, into concluding that there must have been a saintly bone in your body, that your humility would have compelled you to dismiss and reject such notion.

My confession could not be complete without telling of your infectious humour that brought a song of laughter in our lives. The sense of humour that anchored us through the brutality of life and the worst of times. After all, you are he who declared one Easter Friday morning at 2pm, while seating alone in the back of an apartheid police van, guarded by an army of brutal and blood-thirsty securocrats and soldiers, when you saw my half asleep miserable body landing head first on your feet: "Sorry Maxolela! But I am glad they found you. It was getting lonely here".

I wish you were here today to explain to me, why it feels so lonely since you left, even in this hall filled with multitudes in your honour. Please whisper one last word, wise enough as the one you whispered in a cold concrete apartheid solitary confinement cell. That gave even a coward like me courage to go without food and water for two weeks, so that we may all, once more, be able to face life in a world where you are no more.

Please tell me that you will always be here, in my heart. That I'll wake up everyday to see, hear, taste and sense something that will remind me of all the double-dates we had with girls as university boys, the legal battles that we fought and won for your arrest by apartheid agents for eating chicken while driving. And your subsequent insistence that I should share half of the spoils of the victory, even though they rightfully belonged to you. Yet I hope that I will be forever reminded of your resolve to protect our people against racial tyranny, the sacrifices you made for this case, including but not limited to going without food and water for two weeks being temporarily confined to a wheel chair as a result, while the most notorious apartheid agents put tight hand and legs cuffs to your weak and exhausted body.

Painful as it is, it is time for me to grudgingly declare that you have run your race with such honour, humility, humour and surpassed love. It is time for your ineloquent friend to declare for all to know, that a giant has fallen. That you have joined the multitudes of men and women that have defined and re-shaped our world.

These are my confessions of the giant you were my friend. My confessions of your fearlessness, honour in trying times, humility in an era of arrogance and humour in the face of danger. In you, God could not have chosen a better angel.