International Automotive Workers Coordination mourns the death of Busisiwe Modasakeng
The mayor of Sedibeng District Municipality in South Africa, Busisiwe Modasakeng, died on January 8 related to Covid-19. Our sympathy and condolences extend from the bottom of our hearts to the Modasakeng family, her colleagues* and her organization the African National Congress (ANC).
Ms. Busisiwe Modasakeng welcomed the participants of the 2nd International Automotive Workers Conference on February 21, 2020 with great cordiality and solidarity in front of her official residence in Vereeniging.
Her inspiring speech was a not-to-be-forgotten prelude to our militant and internationalist demonstration, which Vereeniging had not experienced before. Full of passion and enthusiasm she praised the unity of the automotive workers* and wished our conference and automotive workers movement much success.
With an impressive women's consciousness, Mrs. Modasakeng drew the connections to the liberation of South Africa from apartheid, to democratization and especially to the struggle for women's liberation. It is very important for women to be activists, she said. "Women no longer belong behind the stove, but in the front line," were her words.
Mrs. Modasakeng stressed that it was a great honor that the 2nd International Automo-tive Workers Conference was held in Vereeniging. After the signing of the new Constitution of South Africa in 1996 by President Nelson Mandela, a second important historical event for the city.
It was a great honor for us to know and appreciate Mrs. Busisiwe Modasakeng.
Her death is very sad for all of us. It is a reminder of exemplary behavior to protect against the spread of the virus. Her death is an incentive and obligation for us in our worldwide struggle for comprehensive health protection for all people, in the struggle for the liberation of women, for a world without exploitation and oppression.
The death of Ms. Busisiwe Modasakeng, Mayor of Sedibeng District Municipality, is a great loss to Gauteng and Sedibeng. We will hold her in honored memory.
On behalf of the International Automotive Workers Coordination
Ed Cubelo/Philippines and Dieter Schweizer/Germany
International Coordinating Group
www.automotiveworkers.org icog@iawc.info
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