SAFA President’s address at the SAFA Congress

28 April 2018 – In the apartheid years we lived through extraordinary times and now post apartheid, we live through waves of extraordinary times. As we mourned the passing on of Mama Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, we were confronted with the extraordinary power of STRATCOM. Those closest to her were indeed her most vile enemies.

What we have learnt about those who stood by her and supported her, is that no matter how terrible the allegations, they understood her inherent integrity and together they faced the onslaught of the world.

We all must have had moments like that in our own lives, where all you can do is to place the greater good of all above all else.

SAFA as an organisation has come under fierce and very untruthful attacks in the past few months. All we could do was to believe in SAFA’s inherent integrity and then make a choice to either work towards its growth or to seek ways to diminish its life.

There is a hymn:

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed
When you are discouraged thinking all is lost
Count your many blessing name them one by one
And it will surprise what the Lord has done……

I suppose we need not be surprised when good triumphs over evil, BUT, let me quote from a letter written by CAF to Mr Ace Ncobo.

So untruths will be exposed.

However, for the unwavering members of this institution, your courage and steadfastness is what carried counts in the end. What we believe in cannot be compromised by the detractors of progress and stability.

What we now have to do is to find ways to recover from the onslaught and renew our commitment to put SAFA first and to protect its heritage and future from being hijacked and its name smeared through the mud.

Let us not be found wanting for not doing our best and I quote from Erma Bombeck, an American humorist, “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me.”