NEHAWU Northern Cape Mourns The Passing Of Comrade Regina Manhe
Saturday September 16, 2023
The National Education Health and Allied Workers Union [NEHAWU] in the Northern Cape is in absolute shock and disbelieve with the passing on of a heroine of the working class revolution, our Provincial Treasurer, Comrade Regina Manhe. The union sends heartfelt condolences to her family, friends and comrades within the movement.
Comrade Regina was a warm hearted comrade that cared a lot about the wellbeing of all those around her. She joyfully gave up her own pleasure in order to succour those who came to her in their need. She treated everyone with an instinctive indulgence, our woes and our troubles were more poignant to her than her own. As a friend, comrade and community activist she was a model of both loyalty and love, of self-effacement and gentle solicitude. She dedicated her live as an activist of the ANC, SACP, and COSATU by spending her entire life in ensuring that we have strong alliance components. She was instrumental through active participation in building the Alliance and its leagues in the province.
Comrade Regina served as an REC member of the ANCYL and later become an REC member of the ANC in the Pixley ka Seme Region. Through her dedication, she become a directly elected PEC member of the ANCYL and later elected to serve as the Provincial Deputy Chairperson. During the era of the Transitional Local Council (TLC) before the establishment of Local Municipality, Comrade Regina served as a TLC councillor and later served as councillor in the Siyacuma Municipality and later in the year 2000 served as the Member of the Mayoral Committee of Pixley ka Seme District Municipality.
In 2004, Comrade Regina joined the Department of Education and was subsequently elected the Branch Secretary of NEHAWU Zodwa Bekebeke. In 2012, she was elected the Regional Treasurer of NEHAWU Francis Baard Region and later in 2014 was elected the Provincial Treasurer, a position she held until her untimely passing. At the time of her passing, Comrade Regina was also serving as the Provincial Gender Coordinator of COSATU as well as a directly elected Provincial Executive Committee Member of the SACP in the Northern Cape.
She dedicated her entire life to workers struggles as she will famously say “ons het geld probleme” workers are struggling to make ends meet, we are under debt review and we are blacklisted, don’t qualify for bonds and RDP houses. Comrade Regina was an activist that was at forefront of campaigns demanding permanent employment for contract workers, equal pay for equal work, an end to victimization, harassment and racism. Comrade Regina was a staunch gender activist and an Internationalist.
Rest in peace Comrade PT, you dedicated your life for socialism and indeed we will pick up the spear and soldier on. Once more condolences to the family, Comrades and friends.
END
Issued by NEHAWU Secretariat
Zola Saphetha (General Secretary) at 082 558 5968;
December Mavuso (Deputy General Secretary) at 082 558 5969;
Lwazi Nkolonzi (NEHAWU National Spokesperson) at 081 558 2335 or email: lwazin@nehawu.org.za
Visit https://www.nehawu.org.za