National orders awarded without Madikizela-Mandela

President Jacob Zuma on Thursday honoured Winnie Madikizela-Mandela as a courageous woman who became a symbol of the struggle against apartheid‚ when he awarded her with the Order of Luthuli in silver.

“She is currently unwell and we wish her a speedy recovery‚” Zuma said at the 2016 National Orders Awards Ceremony‚ at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guest House‚ in Pretoria. Madikizela-Mandela was represented by her granddaughter‚ Zoleka.

Zuma said: “Mrs Mandela endured periods of prison detention and banning orders by the apartheid government from 1958 and through subsequent years. This included a nine year banishment period in Brandfort‚ in the Free State. She was not deterred by the persecution. She became a formidable force facing the enemy head on‚ in the pursuit of freedom. Our people salute her.”

The Order of Luthuli was also awarded to: - the late Mr Suliman Saloojee of the Eastern Transvaal‚ currently Mpumalanga‚ a member of the renowned Transvaal Indian Congress. He was one of the key participants in the Defiance Campaign of 1952‚ and was killed tragically by apartheid forces in 1964. - Mr Brian Francis Bishop‚ whom Zuma said was a devout human rights and anti-apartheid activist in the Cape Peninsula. The citation said he received the honour posthumously in silver for “fighting apartheid tyranny through human rights activism and opposition to Group Areas Act’s forced removals”. - Theologian‚ academic and anti-apartheid activist and member of the United Democratic Front‚ the Rev Dr Simon Gqubule‚ and - Mac Maharaj‚ who “served a long prison term in Robben Island‚ many years of service in exile and in underground operations in the country”‚ according to his citation. He served in the post-apartheid government as transport minister and also as presidential advisor in the fourth and fifth administrations‚ until his retirement in 2015.”

In his speech‚ Zuma commented: “The ceremony takes place just after Freedom Day‚ on which South Africans closed the chapter on institutionalised racism and repression‚ and began a journey towards a united‚ non-racial‚ non-sexist‚ democratic and prosperous South Africa. The recipients of the National Orders have each contributed in some way to the attainment of this goal.”

One of the song choices at the event proved controversial. eNCA reporter Nickolaus Bauer ‏@NickolausBauer asked his Twitter followers: “#NationalOrders Choir now singing Umshini Wam'. Is this relevant or appropriate at a government event?”

Amongst the other honours awarded on Thursday were:

The Order of the Baobab was awarded posthumously to Marina Nompinti Maponya. Zuma said: “She joined her husband‚ Mr Richard Maponya‚ to establish a strong business empire and proved that black people were capable of running successful businesses‚ in the face of apartheid repression.”

This Order was also awarded to Professor Rosina Phakeng‚ the Vice-Principal for Research and Innovation at the University of South Africa‚ “for her excellent contribution in the field of science and for putting South Africa on a global map through her outstanding research work”; and Prof Helen Rees‚ the Founder and Executive Director of the Reproductive Health and HIV Institute of the University of Witwatersrand‚ “for championing public health care‚ especially child and maternal health and for her outstanding contribution to the fight against HIV and Aids”.

The Order of Mendi in silver‚ to four members of the 1967 Luthuli Detachment: Hermanus Loots of Hertzog in the Eastern Cape‚ Ulysses Modise from Kimberley‚ Joseph Nduli of Mayakhulu in KwaZulu-Natal‚ all posthumously. The Luthuli Detachment‚ named after ANC President-General Chief Albert Luthuli‚ was a joint operation by the ANC guerrillas and the Zimbabwean African People’s Union (Zapu) dispatched on 31 July 1967 to infiltrate South Africa from Zambia through Rhodesia (Now Zimbabwe).

The award in the same category also went to Dr Sizakele Sigxashe posthumously‚ whom Zuma called a renowned ANC intelligence officer who became director-general of the National Intelligence Agency.

Major General Peter Lesego Tshikare also received the Order posthumously for serving the ANC as an intelligence operative. He was a Major General in military intelligence in the South African National Defence Force until January 1998.

The Order of Ikhamanga was conferred to Dr Benedict Wallet Vilakazi‚ one of the pioneers and early contributors to IsiZulu literature; Xitsonga musician‚ Thomas Hasani Chauke; and singer Laurika Rauch “for devoutly using her music to speak out against the wrongs of apartheid”.

Sylvia “Magogo” Glasser received the Order for her role of teaching dance to black and white learners together in her home in Johannesburg during the difficult apartheid years which enforced separation‚ and for fundraising for their career development‚ said Zuma.

Dr Marguerite Poland was acknowledged for her contribution to the field of indigenous languages‚ literature and anthropology‚ including isiZulu Folklore.

Zuma closed his address to the gathering with a declaration: “By the power vested in me in terms of Section 84 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa‚ I now confer the Order of Mendi‚ the Order of Ikhamanga‚ the Order of the Baobab‚ the Order of Luthuli‚ the Order of Mapungubwe and the Order of the Companions of OR Tambo to the distinguished persons indicated. They shall henceforth be honoured as esteemed Members of the Orders. We congratulate them all!”