Times Of Swaziland: CREMATED JAN SITHOLE FINALLY LAID TO REST

CREMATED JAN SITHOLE FINALLY LAID TO REST
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BY SIBUSISO ZWANE on 30/11/2020 06:39:00


LUYENGO - Finally, Jan Sithole, who was cremated, has been laid to rest.
His final send-off was held at his home at Mdonjane in Luyengo yesterday morning
and political activists, mainly members of the late unionist’s political
party, the Swaziland Democratic Party (SWADEPA), turned it into a political
rally.
Most of the members of the political party, which was founded by the late
Sithole, came clad in red T-shirts with their late president’s photo and red
barrettes which had an emblem of SWADEPA.
Sithole died from a sharp back pain while in the neighbouring South Africa on
September 11, 2020. A week later, his family organised a memorial service and he
was cremated.
Mourners
During the short service which was held before the final send-off of the late
former Manzini North Member of Parliament (MP), political songs were sung by the
party member who led the mourners to the graveyard carrying a SWADEPA banner
with Sithole’s portrait.
Again, at the graveyard, they sang political songs, which included ‘senzeni
na’ and ‘Zizojik’izinto’ among others and they toyi-toyied while their
late leader’s casket was being lowered into his final place of rest.
Meanwhile, SWADEPA Acting President David Mhlanga, whose substantive position is
that of first vice president of the political party, said they would continue to
demand multi-party democracy during the 2023 national elections.
He alleged emaSwati were suffering under the current system of governance,
Tinkhundla. He said Sithole had fought fiercely for human and workers’ rights.
On the same note, Silwayiphi Sithole, who spoke on behalf of the Sitholes, said
the late SWADEPA president’s life touched so many people. He said this was
because he lived to defend the rights of the people.
Work
In turn, he said people loved him for his work as he was also a problem solver,
who was against violence.
On the other hand, Sanele, one of the late Sithole’s daughters, who spoke on
behalf of the children, said their father loved them and they loved him too.
She said before their father died, he got a chance to have a one-on-one session
with the family members, including his children and he told each and every one
of them his wish for them.
“He fought his fight and our goal is to achieve what he (Sithole) wanted for
us,” Sanele said. She added that their father played his part, but they felt
like he left them too soon.
Thereafter, Elijah Manana, who spoke on behalf of the Mdonjane Chiefdom, said
they had lost a hard worker. He said the chiefdom knew Sithole as he was one of
the community members who were rendering services to the chiefdom.
“Bekahlehla,” he said in vernacular.
The pastors, who preached during the service and funeral, urged Sithole’s
family, his children to be specific to cherish their father’s tomb and take
care of it.