In a solemn yet charged address, Free State African National Congress chairperson Mxolisi Dukwana has issued a rallying cry to party members: reclaim the ANC’s lost dignity, and do it in honour of a fallen comrade whose name still commands deep respect across the province.
Speaking at a memorial gathering for the late Thembeni “Skully” Nxangisa, the former MEC who passed away recently, Dukwana did not mince words. He reminded those present that the ANC was built on a foundation of sacrifice, integrity, and unwavering service to the people—values that, he suggested, have been eroded in recent years by internal strife, factionalism, and public disillusionment. Nxangisa, he said, embodied the best of that tradition: a leader who served with humility, fought without fanfare, and never lost sight of the movement’s core mission.
Dukwana’s call was both retrospective and forward-looking. He urged members to treat Nxangisa’s passing not as a moment of mourning alone, but as a catalyst for renewal. “We owe it to Skully, and to all those who came before us, to restore this organisation to its rightful place in the hearts of our people,” he said. The chairperson stressed that restoration begins with individual conduct—honest leadership, accountable governance, and a return to grassroots engagement that prioritises communities over personal ambition.
The address landed at a sensitive time for the ANC in the Free State, a province that has seen its share of leadership battles and governance challenges. Yet Dukwana framed the moment as one of opportunity. With Nxangisa’s legacy as a moral compass, he argued, the party can still rediscover its moral authority. The question now, he concluded, is whether members are willing to do the hard work of renewal—not in rhetoric, but in action.
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