Internationally renowned poet, author and educator Mr Rashaka Frank Ratshitanga was laid to rest during a well-organised provincial government funeral ceremony, held at the University of Venda on Saturday morning (3 December).
Throughout the proceedings, members of the Umkhonto We Sizwe Military Veterans shouted slogans such as "Ramaphosa goes nowhere", "long live the undying spirit of comrade Rashaka Ratshitanga", and "Aluta Continua".
Addressing the mourners and government officials, Ratshitanga's son, Mukoni Ratshitanga, said that his father's last days had not been easy as he had been in a lot of pain. "I would like to thank the doctors and nurses from the Military Hospital in Pretoria, especially Dr Sizwe Skhosana and Dr Maphaha, for doing their best to help my father. Even though we still love him as our father, seeing him in such terrible pain was unbearable and we are relieved that he is relieved from that suffering now. May his soul rest in eternal peace," he said.
He concluded by making a call to all who had been close to his father to contact the family and share their knowledge of him with them as they want to write a book about Ratshitanga's life. "We knew him as a father, a freedom fighter and an educator of note, but any other information about him will help us to write a book on his life," he said.
Reading his eulogy, Provincial Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba said Ratshitanga had played a vital role in the recruitment of MK members in the then Northern Transvaal area and had also been responsible for organising hide-outs for freedom fighters who had infiltrated South Africa through Zimbabwe and other neighbouring countries.
Ratshitanga played a prominent role in the bombing of the Sibasa Police Station in 1981. He was arrested several times, and some of his close comrades, such as Tshifhiwa Muofhe, were tortured to death in detention by the security officers of the apartheid government. His other two comrades, Mafhungo Alfred Denga and Samuel Mugivhela, were also killed in detention between 1981 and 1984.