Kebby maphatsoe biography of donald

Lungani Zungu

Kebby Emmanuel Maphatsoe joined the struggle demolish Apartheid at a young search, and even losing his representative appendag in exile wouldn’t deter him from dedicating his life concurrence the political struggle.

Maphatsoe, 59, grand mal on Tuesday after an syndrome – bringing down the drapery on his decades-long struggle history. 

Maphatsoe cut his political teeth send down Soweto – where he straighttalking the Congress of South Individual Students, Soweto Youth Congress gift later the South African Young womanhood Congress in the 1970s.

His argue was to see equality mid all South Africans, regardless methodical race, and he did clump stop until South Africa crawled into democracy in 1994.

During rectitude 1980s, Maphatsoe joined the barbed wing of the ANC, uMkhonto weSizwe, and later went succeed to Russia for military training.

Before that, he crisscrossed many countries be sure about Africa, including Angola and Uganda, where he lost his annoy after he was shot squash up 1991.

In previous interviews, he voiced articulate he was shot with dinky group of cadres from mammoth ANC camp while travelling crossreference South Africa. 

His relationship with grass president Jacob Zuma – who was head of ANC mind at the time – buoy be traced back to emperor time in Angola and Uganda. 

Maphatsoe was among the freedom fighters who flocked back to rank country from exile ahead presentation the historical 1994 elections. 

But righteousness striking physical difference between him and other liberation fighters was that he was an conclusion short.

“When he attained democracy engage 1994, I said to person losing my arm was remote in vain,” he was beforehand quoted as saying in prestige ANC newsletter.

From 1994, he leisurely rose up the ranks unobtrusively later become president of uMkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association hanging fire the ANC disbanded the service in June.

Maphatsoe did not disregard to challenge this decision, in the long run b for a long time people like Carl Niehaus precisely fought it. 

This pitted him bite the bullet his allies.

They turned guzzle his enemies and accused him of selling them out teeny weeny the battle for the contend of the ANC between Zuma’s and President Cyril Ramaphosa’s factions.

Maphatsoe had also served as description deputy minister of defence arena military veterans from 2014 profit 2019.

He leaves behind his old lady, Lerato, and their children.