Daphne is ethical and incorruptible. He supports the true values of post-apartheid South Africa
The North West Province has lost a great and humble giant in the man of Paul Daphne. As long as I knew him, Paul was a selfless, loyal, dedicated and true revolutionary, very focused on the great task of liberating the oppressed people of South Africa, and he spent a large part of his life serving the people of the north . Western Province. Paul exemplifies and personifies the values highlighted in the ANC Constitution that “…I will abide by the aims and objectives of the ANC, the Freedom Charter and other policy positions adopted…”; the principles of the country’s Constitution that work for a non-racial, non-sexist, prosperous, democratic South Africa; and as a career public servant, he has consistently demonstrated a dedication to high standards of public service that is rooted in character, and supported by a strong, ethical culture.
Commitment to the ideals of the ANC as espoused by our founding leaders has consistently been matched by a sincere approach to service delivery in government, a rare feature given the culture of factionalism, selfishness, greed and looting seen in many quarters. our public service today.
Perhaps what will be useful for those who remain in public service is for those of us who have worked with Paulus in the ANC as well as in government, to create a characterization or profile of what a true public servant should be, based on the values he embraces. I am talking about a public servant who will free us from the three challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment; public servants who will recognize the urgency of tackling crime, providing basic services such as water and sanitation, housing, infrastructure development and maintenance, solving our energy crisis, and more. South Africa is currently in a parlous state and the North West, in particular, is known for instability, in-fighting, looting and general chaos. Our province does not enjoy respect anywhere in the country and beyond. We are in desperate need of functionaries Paul Daphne in all the fabric of our country machine.
Paul is a committed ANC activist as well as a public service “revocrat”. He is not a politicized senior manager, but a senior official who is very politically sensitive. The administration and application of government prescriptions is underpinned by a deep understanding and appreciation of the urgency of addressing poverty. They are not mechanical, rule-driven bureaucrats. For him prescripts are intended to enable and accelerate the fight against poverty, inequality and unemployment, not to hinder them.
I met Paul in the 1980s when we were both lecturers at the University of Bophuthatswana. We both served in the Staff Association, which I led to replace Dr. Naledi Pandor. By the way, when I was elected President of the Staff Association, Paul was the Secretary. We both joined UDUSA (Union of Democratic Staff Associations), an affiliate of COSATU. At the same time, Paul, myself and some other activists formed the Mafikeng Anti-Repression Forum (MAREF). The political situation in Bophuthatswana at that time demanded that changes should be resolved quickly. Clearly, there are similar developments in the country and in exile. The brutal repressive practices carried out by the brutal security forces in Bophuthatswana work hard to isolate us from the rest of South Africa, and we need to be creative in finding ways to engage in activism, despite the forces. Another structure we are part of is the Anti Bophuthatswana Coordinating Committee (ABCC) which links us directly to the UDF in South Africa.
One of the driving forces behind it was Paul’s wife, Laura Taylor. He was just a powerhouse. He is very effective and efficient in the engine room, supporting and leading our various political programs. In anticipation of Tata Mandela’s release, Laura bought a large piece of black, green and gold material that was sewn into a large flag on the night of Saturday 10 February 1990.
I have insisted that the time is ripe for us to start our first branch of the ANC, because we have done a lot of ground work. As a result, we were given the go-ahead to expedite preparations for the establishment of ANC branches. To that effect, we held a critical meeting at Cooke’s Lake. This meeting decided to create a branch of the ANC, and this decision became known as Cooke’s Lake Minute.
Mafikeng fell within the ANC’s Northern Cape region at that stage, and the first thing we did was travel to the newly opened ANC office in Vryburg, where we met Cde Jomo Khasu, the regional committee for the ANC. The five of us joined and returned to Mafikeng with membership cards and joining forms.
One of the major breakthroughs to be highlighted was when we smuggled membership forms into Rooigrond Prison and recruited Sergeant Timothy Phiri and about 130 former members of the Bophuthatswana Defense Force who served time for their role in the abortive coup of 1988. joined en masse and we released the same statement have joined the branch. The authorities responded with anger and outrage, claiming that the prisoners could not join, as they were held in the maximum security section of the prison.
For the establishment of ANC branches more than 100 paid members are required to attend the launch meeting. As ANC meetings were broken up by the police throughout Bophuthatswana, it was decided that the best strategy was to launch an “underground” branch with the required 100 members and, then announce the launch to the public. The goal is not to operate as an underground structure, but to ensure that the launch can be successful and then to operate and recruit open afterwards.
Dr David Green, a Mafikeng doctor and member of the branch, offered to operate, which had a large enough space to be used as a meeting place, and the date was set for Monday 20 August. The plan was for the friends to meet in small groups and then travel together to the surgery. All communication is done one-on-one orally to try and ensure maximum confidentiality.
The plan went like clockwork. In due time, 110 enthusiastic but disciplined Mafikeng ANC members flocked to David Green’s operation, and Mafikeng ANC was reborn almost 30 years after the people’s movement was banned across the county by the apartheid government. Meetings don’t have to be long. I gave a report on recruitment where I explained the strategy behind the decision to hold a secret launch, and further pointed out that we had been slowly recruiting new members before the launch in order to contain exposure and security risks. Jomo Khasu addressed the meeting and stated that the Pretoria Minute, which had been signed between the ANC and the apartheid government applied to every inch of South Africa and Mafikeng was no exception. He then pointed out that despite the signing of the Pretoria Minute, there was a need to build structures for the defense of the people because apartheid tyranny continued in many parts of the country.
Cde Jomo presided over the election of officers and nine elected members including myself (Job Mokgoro), Chairman; Paul Daphne, Secretary; Mandla Magwetyana, the Treasurer and six other executive members whose portfolios will be finalized later. The six members are Silas Mbipha, Thaka Seboka, Kaelo Maropefela, Mmoloki Legodu and the late Jane Matsomela. As the newly elected Chairman, I closed the meeting with a brief but exciting speech in which I said that we are not asking anyone to be allowed to exercise our democratic rights, but we are taking those rights with both hands and will continue to exercise them. in building the ANC in Mafikeng and bringing the democratic project to its logical conclusion in that part of the country. On August 24, 1990, almost 33 years ago, we surprised (and shocked) everyone when we appeared on the front page. Mafikeng Mail with the title “ANC launched in Mmabatho”.
After the 1994 election I was appointed Director General, and Paul Deputy Director General in the Prime Minister’s Office, serving Dr Popo Molefe.
In the new democratically elected government, the MPL is housed in the Minister’s house where ministers in the Bophuthatswana cabinet live. They are charged a small fee of R120. For some strange reason they refused to pay. I am very ashamed of this behavior, because it is a very bad way to start a democratic dispensation. Paul and I were staying at the embassy and had to pay around R200. I discussed this issue with him, and we both agreed that on the basis of some estimates of the house we were living in, we should pay R1 200, just to lead by example, and we can be reimbursed later. We never bothered to ask for money back, because we had to set an example. It is Paulus our province has disappeared, it is a friend who is no longer there, an advisor that we must do now. But these values live on. Let us take note, and give information on how to renew the institution.
My condolences to his family, including his fiancee Disa Ramagaga, sons Daniel and Matthew; adopted children Jeana, Tshidi and Itumeleng; brothers Jeremy and Robert; and ex-husband Laura.
May his revolutionary spirit rest in peace.
Thank you Professor Ayub