Memorial Service for The Late Hon. Mthokozisi Nxumalo MP
National Chairperson
Of the IFP Youth Brigade
Member of Parliament and
Deputy Chief Whip of Caucus
Tribute by
Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi MP
Founder and President Emeritus of the Inkatha Freedom Party
Leader of the IFP Parliamentary Caucus
In Zulu culture, we have a wonderful saying when we lose someone so full of life and light. We say, “Isitsha esihle asidleli”, meaning it is the most beautiful vessel that breaks easily. Never has this saying been more appropriate than now, as we grapple with the inconceivable loss of the Hon. Mr Mthokozisi Nxumalo.
Since I founded Inkatha in 1975 I have had the tremendous good fortune to meet men and women of exceptional talent, skill and ability. They have come to our Party, drawn by the vision of serving in order to create social justice. They are the kind of people who cannot see a challenge without also seeing a solution. Even when that solution is not yet evident, they are convinced it exists.
It has been an honour to serve our country with people like this. I count among them great leaders and orators; charismatic and genuine, determined and patriotic. When I first met the young Mr Mthokozisi Nxumalo, I knew that he was one of these. He was like a shooting star whose trajectory could have reached any height. I felt enormous pride knowing that he had chosen the IFP. We were his home and his political family, and he treated us accordingly.
In choosing a career of public service, and particularly in choosing politics, the Hon. Mr Nxumalo consciously gave himself to the good of the nation, putting the interests of South Africa ahead of anything else. We who do this know that it means long hours away from home, meetings through the night and over weekends, and being available to strangers whenever they call on us. Often, it is our families who sacrifice the most.
Knowing this, I want to express our deepest gratitude to the family of the Hon. Mr Nxumalo. His mother, Mrs Jenerose Mkhwanazi, Mr Nxumalo’s siblings and the entire family have suffered a loss far beyond our own. So too has his lovely fiancé, Nozipho Mpungose, and his children Thandolwethu and Qhawe. My heart breaks for them, for they have been robbed of a father and a husband. The years that should have lay ahead, are gone. This is pain beyond our understanding.
I remember the letter the Hon. Mr Nxumalo wrote to me about his upcoming wedding, and how much he looked forward to my attending. Nothing would have pleased me more than seeing this young man’s happiness fulfilled.
As a father, I want to speak for a moment to Thandolwethu and Qhawe.
Your father loved you. He was excited about the adults you would become. He couldn’t wait to see what you would choose to do with your lives, how you would make your mark, and where you would invest your time. He gave you the example of commitment and courage. He showed you how to be a good friend, and how to work hard to achieve your goals. I want to encourage you today: do not let pain win. Grieve for your father. But refuse to let pain overcome the beautiful seeds he sowed into your lives.
The Bible says in 1 John 2 verse 17, “The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”
As a Christian I have no doubt whatsoever that the Hon. Mr Mthokozisi Nxumalo is alive in the presence of Christ. He has received his crown of glory. Despite all our pain and suffering, we can cling to the promise that we will meet again. Until that glorious moment, let us honour our friend with the tributes he so rightly deserves.
Mthokozisi Nxumalo was seldom alone. He was always surrounded by friends, and by people who wanted to be his friend. He wore his heart on his sleeve and was always ready with a smile and a word of kindness. There was a sense of genuine goodness about him. You knew that when he gave his word, he meant it, and would not let you down. He would fight for any cause he believed in. He would stand up against injustice. But always with dignity and respect for his opponent.
The number of tributes that have poured in, from diverse quarters, speak volumes about the kind of man and leader that he was. People across the political spectrum have lauded his passion for South Africa, his courage and his talent. Diplomats, businesspeople, youth groups and NGOs have all spoken of his skillful oration, his compassion and his inspirational leadership.
While he was young, he was full of authority. He knew the right path to take, and was determined to pull everyone with him along that path. I cannot express how grateful I am to have had him serving in our national Parliament as a representative of the IFP. I am proud of the impact he made in Parliament, and perhaps prouder still of the leadership he provided as our National Chairperson of the IFP Youth Brigade. Whenever we were faced with a challenge in the NEC, I looked forward to hearing his wisdom. I knew that he always operated from a place of goodwill and honesty.
As the Leader of our Parliamentary Caucus, I can only say thank you on behalf of all my colleagues. Thank you to the Lord for lending us such a wonderful son. Thank you to his family for raising and supporting such a remarkable young man. Thank you to his friends, many of whom are here with us, for giving him countless reasons to smile. And thank you to the Hon. Mr Mthokozisi Nxumalo himself, for all that he was and all that he did for all of us.
I extend deepest condolences to our President, the Hon. Mr Hlabisa, and to the leadership of the IFP Youth Brigade. We have really lost a jewel in the Party. Clearly the Hon. Mr Nxumalo was going to go very far. Considering his talent and character, he could have attained any position in the Party in years to come. It is just devastating to lose a young man who was not only talented, but humble as well. That is a rare quality, and one that I deeply admire. It is a clear indication of his identity in Christ.
It is true that whether we are living or dead, we belong to the Lord. We cannot question God’s will, for even in the Lord’s Prayer we ask that His will be done. So whether it is bitter or sweet, we bow before His will. Even through dark moments like this, we still say that ours is a great and mighty God.
How can we doubt His goodness and grace when he gave us such a wonderful gift? The Hon. Mr Mthokozisi Nxumalo blessed us all with his presence in our lives. We are truly grateful to have known him. We cannot begrudge the peace that is now his. While his time here was brief, he rests in eternal glory.
May the Lord heal our broken hearts.
INKONZO YESIKHUMBUZO
KAMHLONISHWA UMTHOKOZISI NXUMALO MP ONGASEKHO
USIHLALO KAZWELONKE WE-IFP YOUTH BRIGADE
ILUNGA LEPHALAMENDE NEPHINI LIKASOTSWEBHU WE-CAUCUS
INHLONIPHO YETHULWA
UMNTWANA UMANGOSUTHU BUTHELEZI MP
UMSUNGULI NOMENGAMELI NGOKUHLONISHWA WEQEMBU LE-IFP
UMHOLI WE-CAUCUS YE-IFP EPHALAMENDE
Esikweni lamaZulu, sinesisho esihle kakhulu lapho silahlekelwa umuntu obenobungqabavu nothandekayo. Sithi, “Isitsha esihle asidleli”. Lesi sisho asikaze sifaneleke kakhulu kunamanje, lapho sibhekene nokulahlekelwa ngokungakholeki wuMhlonishwa uMnu Mthokozisi Nxumalo.
Kusukela ngasungula Inkatha ngo-1975 ngibe nenhlanhla enkulu kakhulu yokuhlangana namadoda nabesifazane abanamathalente namakhono amahle kakhulu. Bangene eQenjini lethu, bedonswa umbono wokukhonza ukuze bakhe ubulungisa kwezenhlalo. Bawuhlobo lwabantu abangaboni nje kuphela inselele kodwa ababona futhi nesixazululo. Ngisho noma leso sixazululo singakabonakali, bayaqiniseka ukuthi sikhona.
Kube yilungelo ukukhonza izwe lethu nabantu abanjengalaba. Phakathi kwabo ngibala abaholi abakhulu nezikhulumi ezinekhono; abantu abanethonya nabaqotho, abazimisele nabashisekela izwe. Lapho ngiqala ukuhlangana noMnu Mthokozisi Nxumalo osemusha, ngavele ngabona ukuthi ungomunye walaba. Wayefana nokhozi olwalungandizela phezulu lunganqindwa lutho. Ngaziqhenya kakhulu ngokwazi ukuthi wayekhethe i-IFP. Sasiyikhaya lakhe nomndeni wakhe wezombusazwe, futhi naye wasiphatha ngaleyo ndlela.
Ngokukhetha ukusebenzela uhulumeni, futhi ngokukhethekile ngokukhetha ezombusazwe, uMhlonishwa uMnu. Nxumalo wakhetha ukuzinikela ekuthuthukiseni isizwe, ebeka izidingo zeNingizimu Afrika ngaphambi kwanoma yini enye. Thina esenza lokhu siyazi ukuthi kusho ukungabikho ekhaya isikhathi eside, ukuba semihlanganweni ethatha ubusuku bonke nezimpelasonto, nokusabela lapho abantu ongabazi bedinga usizo lwakho. Ngokuvamile, yimindeni yethu ezidela kakhulu.
Njengoba ngikwazi lokhu, ngifisa ukuzwakalisa ukubonga kwethu okujulile emndenini kaMhlonishwa uMnu Nxumalo. Umama wakhe, uNkk Jenerose Mkhwanazi, izingane zakwabo kaMnu Nxumalo nomndeni wonke balahlekelwe ngaphezu kwethu. Kungokufanayo nangengoduso yakhe ethandekayo, uNozipho Mpungose, nezingane zakhe uThandolwethu noQhawe. Inhliziyo yami iba buhlungu kakhulu uma ngicabanga ngabo, ngoba bamukwe ubaba nomyeni. Iminyaka abebezoyiphila ndawonye, ayisekho. Lobu buhlungu bungaphezu kokuqonda kwethu.
Ngikhumbula incwadi uMhlonishwa uMnu Nxumalo angibhalela yona mayelana nomshado wakhe, nokuthi wayekulangazelela kangakanani ukuba ngibe khona. Ayikho into eyayizongithokozisa ngaphezu kokubona injabulo yale nsizwa igcwaliseka.
Njengobaba, ngifisa ukukhuluma okwesikhashana noThandolwethu noQhawe.
Ubaba wenu ubenithanda. Ubebheke phambili ekuboneni ukuthi nizoba abantu abadala abanjani. Ubemagange ukubona ukuthi nizokhetha ukwenzani ngokuphila kwenu, ukuthi uphawu lwenu nizolwenza kanjani, nokuthi isikhathi senu nizosisebenzisa kanjani. Uninikeze isibonelo sokuzibophezela nesibindi. Unibonisile ukuthi ningaba kanjani abangane abahle, nokuthi ningasebenza kanjani ngokuzikhandla ukuze nifinyelele imigomo yenu. Namhlanje ngifuna ukunikhuthaza: ningavumeli ukuba ubuhlungu bunqobe. Mlileleni ubaba wenu. Kodwa ningavumi ukuba ubuhlungu bunqobe izimbewu ezinhle azitshala ezimpilweni zenu.
IBhayibheli lithi kweyoku-1 kaJohane 2 ivesi 17, “Izwe liyadlula kanye nenkanuko yalo; kepha owenza intando kaNkulunkulu uhlala kuze kube phakade.”
NjengomKrestu angingabazi nakancane ukuthi uMhlonishwa uMnu Mthokozisi Nxumalo uyaphila noKrestu. Usewutholile umqhele wenkazimulo. Naphezu kwabo bonke ubuhlungu nokuhlupheka kwethu, singabambelela esithembisweni sokuthi sizophinde sihlangane futhi. Kuze kube yileso sikhathi esikhazimulayo, masimhloniphe umngane wethu ngamazwi amfanele kakhulu.
UMthokozisi Nxumalo ubengavamile ukuba yedwa. Ubelokhu ezungezwe abangane, nangabantu abebefuna ukuba abangane bakhe. Ubengayifihli imizwa yakhe futhi ubehlale emamatheka futhi ekhuluma ngomusa. Ubewumuntu omuhle kakhulu. Bewazi ukuthi uma ekhulumile, wayengeke ahlehle ezwini lakhe, futhi wayengeke akudumaze. Wayelwela noma yini akholelwa kuyo. Wayengathuli uma ebona ukungabi nabulungisa. Kodwa wayehlale enza ngesizotha nokuhlonipha lowo aphikisana naye.
Ubuningi bamazwi okuzwelana angenile, avela nhlangothi zonke, asho lukhulu ngohlobo lomuntu nomholi abeyilo. Abantu bazo zonke izinhlangothi zezombusazwe baluhalalisele uthando lwakhe ngeNingizimu Afrika, isibindi sakhe nethalente lakhe. Izikhulu ezikuleli ezimele amanye amazwe, osomabhizinisi, amaqembu entsha nama-NGO bonke baphawulile ngendlela yakhe yokukhuluma ngekhono, uzwela lwakhe nobuholi bakhe obufaka ugqozi.
Ngesikhathi esemusha, wayenza ngendlela enegunya. Wayeyazi indlela efanele okumelwe ayithathe, futhi wayezimisele ukulanda noma ubani ahambe naye kuleyo ndlela. Ngeke ngikwazi ukusho indlela engibonga ngayo ngokuthi ukhonze ePhalamende lethu likazwelonke njengommeleli we-IFP. Ngiyaziqhenya ngomthelela abe nawo ePhalamende, futhi mhlawumbe ngiziqhenya nakakhulu ngobuholi abunikezile njengoSihlalo wethu kaZwelonke we-IFP Youth Brigade. Noma nini lapho sibhekene nenselele ku-NEC, ngangikulangazelela ukuzwa ukuhlakanipha kwakhe. Ngangazi ukuthi uzokhuluma ngendlela ewusizo nangobuqotho.
NjengoMholi we-Caucus yethu yasePhalamende, ngingathi nje siyabonga egameni labo bonke ozakwethu. Siyayibonga iNkosi ngokusiboleka indodana enhle kangaka. Siyabonga emndenini wakhe ngokukhulisa nokusekela insizwa enhle njengalena. Siyabonga kubangane bakhe, abaningi babo abakhona lapha nathi, ngokumnikeza izizathu ezingenakubalwa zokumamatheka. Futhi siyabonga kuMhlonishwa uMnu Mthokozisi Nxumalo ngokwakhe, ngakho konke ayeyikho nangakho konke asenzela kona sonke.
Ngidlulisela ukuzwelana okujulile kuMongameli wethu, uMhlonishwa uMnu Hlabisa, nasebuholini be-IFP Youth Brigade. Ngempela silahlekelwe yitshe eliyigugu eQenjini. Ngokusobala uMhlonishwa uMnu Nxumalo ubezoya kude kakhulu. Uma sibheka ithalente lakhe nobuntu bakhe, ubengathola noma yisiphi isikhundla eQenjini eminyakeni ezayo. Kubuhlungu kakhulu ukulahlekelwa yinsizwa ebingenalo ithalente kuphela, kodwa futhi ebithobekile. Leyo imfanelo engavamile, futhi engiyazisa ngokujulile. Kubonisa ngokucacile ukuthi ubengubani kuKrestu.
Kuyiqiniso ukuthi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi siyaphila noma sifile, singabeNkosi. Ngeke siyingabaze intando kaNkulunkulu, ngoba ngisho naseMthandazweni weNkosi sicela ukuba intando yaYo yenziwe. Ngakho kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kuyababa noma kumnandi, sikhothama phambi kwentando yaYo. Ngisho nasezikhathini ezimnyama njengalezi sisathi uNkulunkulu wethu mkhulu futhi unamandla.
Singabungabaza kanjani ubuhle nomusa waKhe lapho esinikeze isipho esihle kangaka? UMhlonishwa uMnu Mthokozisi Nxumalo usibusise sonke ngokuba khona kwakhe ezimpilweni zethu. Ngempela siyabonga ngokuthi siye samazi. Ngeke sibe nomona ngokuthula asenakho manje. Nakuba isikhathi sakhe lapha sibe sifushane, uphumule enkazimulweni yaphakade.
Kwangathi iNkosi ingaphulukisa izinhliziyo zethu eziphukile.
