MASALEKHAYA ALWAYS ADVOCATED AGAINST VIOLENCE – NGOMUYAYONA

MALKERNS – The late former politician Masalekhaya Simeon Simelane has been described as a brilliant and visionary man who always advocated against violence.

This was relayed by Sive Siyinqaba National Movement, otherwise known as Sibahle Sinje Vice Chairperson and former Senate Deputy President Ngomuyayona Gamedze, during the late Simelane’s memorial service held at St John Bosco High School hall yesterday. Gamedze passed his condolences to the Simelane family and emaSwati at large for their loss. He said when he was given the daunting task of speaking on behalf of Sive Siyinqaba, he was at a loss for words and could not contemplate how he could describe the calibre of  a man Simelane was.
Gamedze said he shared a close bond with Simelane and what they both had in common was that they both lost their wives and now his close friend had passed away as well.

He said Masalekhaya survived a horrific car accident and they thought they had lost him, but he managed to survive the ordeal. “We did not expect him to pass away in this manner, but we want to believe that this was God’s plan,” he said. He said the deceased was more like a mayor at Mankayane, as they always came to him for advice and guidance. He said Mankayane has over the years produced a certain calibre of people, who were natural leaders and Simelane fitted in that calibre of people.

Brilliant

He said the late Simelane was a brilliant man and he always had a way of understanding what people wanted, without even them saying it to him. Gamedze said Simelane was polite, strict and direct at the same time and always found a solution to whatever problem they encountered in their journey as friends and colleagues.  Gamedze further added that it was a difficult task to explain the type of person Simelane was, but summarised him as a person who always advocated against violence and promoted dialogue when people had differences.  “Whenever he had differences with someone, he would be upfront with them and tell them that he disagreed with them in a polite, but firm manner,” he said.

Gamedze also mention that Simelane was one of the founders of Sive Siyinqaba and described him as visionary leader that  he always looked up to for guidance. He also announced that one of the people who stood with them throughout their journey was  businessman and former Senator Walter Bennett, who  donated a cow and said he felt obligated to make the announcement in public.

Speaking during the memorial service, Bennett described Simelane as a loyal citizen and intelligent man. He said he knew Simelane for 26 years, before they formed Sive Siyinqaba. He said Simelane was a gentleman at heart who was always smiling. “At the end of it all, he was a gentleman and I cannot recall a day when I saw him angry in his entire life,” he said. Bennett also mentioned that Simelane was the pride of his life and to work with him was a pleasure and they understood things the same way. Sharing his experience with Simelane as senators, Bennett said the late former senator was a principled man, who always advocated for service delivery and accountability of public officials. He recalled that as senators, they together instituted an accounting probe, which was one of the tasks they took at hand as colleagues.  He said the late Simelane was extremely intellectual and intelligent politician.

Sacrificed

“He was different and a cut above the rest. In him was a good accountant and he took pride in what he did. During our days as senators, we used to have service delivery oriented politicians, not like nowadays,” said Bennett. He said the late Simelane sacrificed his career and took up politics and he believed that not everyone would agree with him, but at the same time he was fearless. He said Simelane was an advocate for the welfare of politicians, both current and former. He said Simelane believed that power of politics was in numbers, not in individuals.

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