Tribute to Ma Gertrude Shope

IT IS with immense sadness that we mark the passing of Mme Gertrude Shope, a matriarch, a beacon of hope, and a steadfast revolutionary whose life was indistinguishably woven into the fabric of our struggle for liberation.

- NOKUZOLA SISISI TOLASHE

The ANC, and indeed the entire nation, bows its head in collective mourning for Mme Shope, as she was affectionately known. We mourn not merely a loss, but the departure of a living encyclopaedia of our journey, a testament to resilience, unwavering courage, and an unshakeable commitment to justice.

Ma Shope's life mirrored the drama of our nation's darkest hours and its glorious rebirth. From her days as a teacher, nurturing young minds, she understood that true education extended beyond the classroom - it was about awakening consciousness, instilling pride, and preparing a generation for the fight ahead. She answered the urgent call of duty, joining the ANC in the 1950s, at a time when oppression's grip was at its tightest.