UnveIling of THE monument for THE women who died ON OCTOBER 25, 1997 
on their way to THE IFP women’s Brigade Conference

remarks BY
PRINCE MANGOSUTHU BUTHELEZI, MP
 PRESIDENT OF THE INKATHA FREEDOM PARTY

Seven years ago today a bus accident took place here that tragically claimed the lives of 26 people who were on their way to the IFP Women’s Brigade Conference in Ulundi. Today we have gathered to honour their memory and celebrate their lives; lives that were so cruelly cut short.

This tragic accident occurred only a few metres before the Tugela River Bridge on the N2 just after KwaDukuza, in the early hours of the morning of October 25^th in 1997. The bus, which was meant to be parked for a short while for the passengers and the driver to rest so that they might arrive at their destination safely, was ploughed into by a fuel tanker. On contact, everything burst into flames burning many of the passengers beyond recognition. The news of the tragedy came as an overwhelming shock to me. The horror at the manner in which these people had lost their lives has haunted me ever since. I was deeply saddened by their loss. I could only think of the families of the deceased, how they would react to the news, and how, if at all, I could help ease the pain of the bereaved families.

The death of these wonderful and courageous women of strength and bravery was not only a loss to their families, but also a loss to the IFP and the entire nation. They were cruelly taken away from us at a time when we still needed them dearly. It is said that time heals old wounds, but some wounds will never be fully healed in this life, especially when the loss of life and loved ones happens so unexpectedly and so suddenly.

These women left their homes with expectant hearts and a desire to change our country. They left with expectations that were full of hope for renewal and change for our people. They also left with that lightness of spirit one always gets one is to meet up with old friends to exchange news and to rekindle memories of old times. They left with the expectations of being reunited with their families after the weekend of the Conference, never imagining they were saying ‘goodbye’ for the last time.

Today, as we look back, I hope that the pain felt by their families will be a little eased by this event. I also pray that the souls of those who went home before us to the eternal city have found peace in the knowledge that they will never be forgotten by us.

While they will always be sorely missed, we derive comfort from the sure and certain knowledge that they now live forever with our Saviour, Jesus Christ. We have to remember that our Saviour is the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega, and that only He knows the time, the place and hour for the beginning and the end of our sojourn here.

The brave women whom we are remembering here today lost their lives while in pursuit of our new found freedom and the liberties granted by our constitutional democracy. At the time of their passing, we were only in the third year of democracy. The challenges at the time were overwhelming, they still are, and the task of finding solutions for change seemed daunting and heavy for all of us. These times were crucial for laying a firm foundation for change.

These women bravely accepted their new role as builders of our new democracy and as participatory citizens who were prepared to meet the challenges of our country head on. They were not faint hearted and nor were they seeking charity or recognition. They only sought to improve the lives of our people and unite our nation through their efforts as members of the Women’s Brigade.

These women, who were also mothers, wives, nurturers of their families, rose to the challenge for change in South Africa. They stood for the emancipation of all our people from the house of slaves and died in pursuit of this great and honourable mission. They embraced their role as the mothers of our nation by taking responsibility for the ailments of our society and by actively seeking solutions. They were on a mission when they traveled to Ulundi for the Conference. I know that their efforts were not in vain and are well entrenched in the IFP Women’s Brigade today.

 The unveiling of this moment, I hope, will help us to find some closure in our hearts and set free our emotions by accepting we are surrounded by God’s grace and his love.

Today, as we gather the battle for freedom is not yet won for women in South Africa. As I said in Parliament last week, women are the backbone of South Africa. The struggle continues for the full emancipation of the women of our nation. It is important that we realise that making opportunities accessible to women is not a charitable effort, but a necessity that would allow them to freely contribute their skills and talents to the growth and development of our nation.

I believe that women have a great role to play in our country as leaders spearheading positive change and as ground breakers in our still new democracy. In order for future generations of girls to flourish and take advantage of opportunities, a new culture of skills development needs to be established to root out the negative perception that women are the inferior sex. Our mothers played a crucial part in the struggle and received very little recognition for the efforts they made for freedom. We have to start here and now to recognise the positive contributions that women make on a daily basis. We have to begin now by acknowledging that without the contribution of women in the world the very machinery of our existence would break down.

The women whom we are honouring and remembering here today made their valuable contribution to the growth of democracy in South Africa while they were alive. We have to learn from the lives they led and draw from their legacy of bravery.

As a nation, we have to unite and root out the poverty of knowledge among the women of our nation. We have to root out the poverty caused by the lack of opportunities and grant our wives, our daughters and grand daughters the opportunities that the women whom we are honouring here today died for. We must continue this struggle for the total freedom of women in South Africa and beyond our shores. Societal discrimination against women has to be defeated and a new culture of support and acceptance of women’s abilities has to be cultivated for the benefit of the growth and development of our country.

May this monument serve as a symbol of hope and inspiration for all the women of our nation. Let this be a remembrance of the bravery of the many women in our nation, which too often goes unrecognised by society at large. We will always remember these women of strength and the lives they touched of the many people who knew them.

May their souls rest in peace and may God bless you all.