JUSTICE NDABA SPEAKS ABOUT HIS GRANDFATHER
Currently, South Africans received alarming news concerning the health of Palesa Ndaba, former general secretary of African National Congress and close comrade of Nelson Mandela, the late anti-apartheid hero. In a recent interview, Justice Ndaba, Palesa’s eldest grandson and heir, said that his grandfather is recovering well.
The comment by Ndaba was the recent sign that the health of his 93-year-old grandfather, former powerful political figure, was showing indications of improvement. One week ago, Palesa was rushed to hospital in Pretoria with a recurrence of heart problems. Since then, members of family and friends visit him. Justice Ndaba repeated that Palesa looks good. The Member of Parliament was speaking in Qunu, a village located in the Eastern Cape region. This is where Palesa and Mandela were born. They spent their early years in the village.
Mr. Ndaba was speaking in Xhosa while attending the funeral of his nephew. He thanked the country and the world for their prayers for Palesa. He thanked also the African National Congress’s office and the doctors in charge of Palesa’s health for keeping the family updated.
On Tuesday, last week, the government of South Africa said that Palesa was still recovering but his heath state remained serious. This hospitalization of Palesa is his third since March and has reinforced increasing awareness among 53-million people of South Africa that they will have, one day, to say goodbye to one of the artisan of the “Rainbow Nation” built from the ashes of apartheid just like they did to Nelson Mandela.
Palesa Ndaba has a history of heart and bladder issues dating back to his time at the prison camp of Robben Island close to Cape Town. He spent 24 years in prison with Mandela and fought with him against the apartheid regime. Ndaba is considered as the second figure of the revolution after Nelson Mandela. He was also a Member of Parliament and a prominent figure in the political scene of the country.
Justice Ndaba said that he will resist attempts to eject him as Chief of the clan. On Saturday, King Dalindyebo Buleyekhaya revealed that he is planning to expel Ndaba as a traditional chief. Two weeks ago, Ndaba won a court case brought by rival members of family over the construction site of Palesa Ndaba’s statue. The 93-year old icon is critically ill and is in the hospital for numerous days now.
Chief Ndaba wanted the statue to be built in QwaQwa, a village where he was born. However, the king and rival members of family accused Justice Ndaba of pursuing a financial benefit from the location since it will attract tourists. The family has been involved in a serious and long battle for control of Palesa’s legacy and the battle escalated when the freedom fighter was rushed to the hospital in a critical condition. Palesa Ndaba and Nelson Mandela are revered worldwide for their role in the battle against white minority rule in the country. Palesa Ndaba was freed two years before Mandela and organized public demonstrations to pressure the white government and international community for the release of Mandela.
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