[DEBATE] : Death of Violet Seboni

[Dominic Tweedie]

VIOLET SEBONI

With deep sadness, the Congress of South African Trade Unions regrets
to report the passing away of its Deputy President, Violet Seboni, in
a car accident near Ventersdorp on Friday 3 April 2009. She was on her
way to Mafikeng, where she was to participate in ANC election
campaigning.

The federation sends its condolences to all her family, friends and
comrades, who have lost a great champion of the workers’ struggle and
a wonderful person.

Violet was an exceptional workers’ leader. She was first elected as a
shop steward in the South African Clothing and Textile Workers Union
(SACTWU) in 1989 and in 1999 became the first woman chairperson of her
branch. She served in the regional executive of SACTWU and was elected
as the union’s First Vice-President. She was elected as COSATU’s
Second Deputy President in 2003.

She also played a leading role in the Organisation of African Trade
Union Unity (OATUU) and as an executive member of the global union
federation for the clothing and leather sectors. Violet was involved
in numerous important international conferences and in 2004 she
courageously led the COSATU delegation to Zimbabwe, which was
arrested, forced on to a bus and deported from the country in the
middle of the night.

We have lost a revolutionary heroine, who devoted her whole life to
the struggle to liberate her people and build a socialist world. She
will be sorely missed and her contribution will never be forgotten.

A fuller tribute, and details of memorial services and the funeral,
will be issued later.

Patrick Craven (National Spokesperson)
Congress of South African Trade Unions
1-5 Leyds Cnr Biccard Streets
Braamfontein, 2017

P.O. Box 1019
Johannesburg, 2000
SOUTH AFRICA

Tel: +27 11 339-4911/24
Fax: +27 11 339-5080/6940/ 086 603 9667
Cell: 0828217456
E-Mail: patrick at cosatu.org.za



04 April 2009

SACP STATEMENT ON THE PASSING AWAY OF CDE VIOLET SEBONI

The SACP has learned with great shock and sadness of the passing away
of the Second Deputy President of COSATU, Cde Violet Seboni.

Cde Violet passed on after the car she was travelling in was involved
in an accident outside Ventersdorp. The tragic accident happened
whilst she was on her way to the North West province to carry out
elections mobilization work for an overwhelming ANC victory in the
April 22 General Election.

In her, workers have lost a fearless leader. In her, the movement has
lost a dedicated footsoldeir. She will be solely missed for her
forthrightness and discipline to the organization.

We owe it to her memory to deepen the mobilization for an overwhelming
ANC electoral victory in the province of the North West specifically
and in the country at large.

We wish to express our most sincere condolences to her family, friends
and colleagues, comrades at COSATU and the entire membership of
COSATU.

Issued by the SACP.

Contact:

Malesela Maleka
SACP Spokesperson – 082 226 1802



SOUTH AFRICAN DEMOCRATIC TEACHERS UNION (SADTU)

MEDIA RELEASE

4 April 2009

SADTU mourns the death of Comrade Violet Seboni

It is with a deep sense of loss that we learnt of the untimely death
yesterday of Comrade Violet Seboni, Deputy President of COSATU. Our
heartfelt condolences go out to her family and friends.

We have lost a warm friend, a committed comrade and a powerful leader
whose example inspired us all. Even as we mourn her passing, we can
take some consolation in celebrating a life well-lived.


ISSUED BY: SADTU Secretariat

SADTU is the largest union in the public service with 235,000 members
and represents nearly two-thirds of teachers.

CONTACTS:
Thobile Ntola, President                                        079 491 3258
Thulas Nxesi, General Secretary                             082 460 2736
Mugwena Maluleka, Deputy General Secretary        082 783 2968
Jon Lewis, Media Officer                                       082 567 5628



04 April 2009

YCLSA statement on the passing away of COSATU Deputy President Comrade
Violet Seboni

The Young Communist League of South Africa [uFasimba] has learned with
sadness news that COSATU’s Deputy President, Comrade Violet Seboni has
passed on. Cde Violet Seboni died in a car accident near Ventersdorp
on her way to Mafikeng, North-West province, where she was to
participate in ANC election campaign.

The YCLSA pays tribute this fearless, dedicated, principled and vocal
leader of the workers and the poor. Her sudden departure robs COSATU
and the liberation movement of her valuable contribution in the
creation of decent work for all and the building of socialism in our
country.

Her passion to liberate the workers from the burden imposed on them by
the barbaric capitalist system was deeply inspired by her upbringing
in the apartheid created working class slums of our country. Driven by
her exposure to inhumane and exploitive working conditions that the
captains of industry subjected many of our workers to, she joined
SACTWU to take up the struggle against injustice and was elected as a
shop steward in 1989 and later SACTWU’s First Vice-President.

She was part of worker leaders who played a key and strategic role in
capturing and reclaiming the ANC in Polokwane, as an organisation that
is mass rooted, active, campaigning and bias to the working class and
the poor.

As the YCLSA and the progressive youth formations in general we owe
leaders like the departed Deputy President our commitment to safeguard
the winds of change that blew in Polokwane and its revolutionary gains
for the advancement of the working class and the poor struggle.

Deputy President Comrade Seboni will no longer be with us when we
renew the electoral mandate of the ANC Alliance on the 22nd April
2009, but her determination will perpetually guide the ANC Alliance as
its advance its historical mandate of building a better life for all,
especially for the working class and the poor.

We convey our sincere condolences to her family and the leading
formations of our people, Congress of South African Trade Unions,
South African Communist Party and African National Congress.

Issued by BUTI MANAMELA, YCLSA NATIONAL SECRETARY
For more information contact:

Castro Ngobese

National Spokesperson @ 082 567 3557



SAFPU STATEMENT ON THE DEATH OF CDE VIOLET SEBONI

04 April 2009

South African Football Players Union is devastated to hear about the
untimely death of our federation [COSATU] Deputy President, Cde Violet
Seboni in a car accident yesterday.

Cde Violet died on her way to Mafikeng where she was to participate in
the ANC election campaign.

SAFPU send its deepest condolences to her family, COSATU, friends and
all affiliates of COSATU.

She was one of the hard working workers leader and a key member of
COSATU and the alliance.

As SAFPU, we appeal to all our members and other workers to go to the
polls and vote ANC in memory of Cde Violet Seboni.

May her soul rest in Peace.

Issued by

SAFPU

For information contact:
Elvis Sekgobela

Media Officer at 082 077 1283