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Discover Pheli People , Places and Culture History

centenary is being celebrated as
comrades bow their sad heads for
Comrade Stola Mamabolo. When
the Street and area committees
were formed in the townships and
villages, and the people of South
Africa made apartheid unworkable,
Comrade Stola was always at the
forefront of struggle.

During the State of Emergency in
1986, Comrade Stola Mamabolo
was detained for over a year and
Heritage & History Foundation
endured the humiliating suffering to
Former Member
which many detainees were
subjected. The harassment
Corade Stola Mamabolo was born on She continued from where she left off at Hofmeyr continued in later years. On one
the 11th August 1958 at Holy Cross, with her militant demand for a better education. occasion, when the police jumped
a period when South Africa was under Subsequently, she was dismissed in 1979 from her parents’ home to detain her and
the apartheid rule of HF Verwoerd as Vlakfontein High school for her political activism. she still had her toddler girl Molepo,
the Prime Minister. She was the she pinched her such that she cried
second child of Ida Mabone A year earlier , in 1978, Comrade Stola had joined uncontrollably and the white cops
Mamabolo and James Moja who are the Pretoria wide youth organisation, the Funeral felt ashamed to detain her. She was
both late. She started her schooling Brigades, which was mobilising young people continuously harassed by the
at Isaac More lower primary school to volunteer their services during funerals, so as system for her political activism. A
and then proceeded to Walton to instill within the youth a sense of responsibility delegate to the UDF founding
Jameson Higher Primary school. In and community voluntarism. The Funeral Brigades conference. Upon the unbanning of
1974 she went to Hofmeyr High went hand in hand with political discussions, using the ANC, Stola Mamabolo became
school, she became active at an political literature to enhance the political one of the active and disciplined
early age. She was out going, understanding and maturity of young people. It members of the organisation. From
vivacious and had an energetic was during this time, that Comrade Stola 1996 to 2000 she served as an ANC
personality. Mamabolo, together with other young people Councillor in Greater Pretoria
graduated from merely young angry youths into Council and again she was elected
Stola Mamabolo dined by her matured activists, using the ANC literature as well as a councilor from 2006 to 2011.
steadfastness, deed the gender as January 8th Statement of the ANC President She then worked as an assistant to
stereotypes of a woman who was Oliver Tambo as a guidance to rene their politics, Minister Gwen Mahlangu Nkabinde
supposed to be shy and reserved. As as well as their strategies and tactics of ghting for in the Department of Public Works
a young woman she was known to the liberation of their people. between 2010 and 2011 and
challenge the masculine tendencies thereafter joined Minister Edna
of boys. As she grew up she In 1980 Comrade Stola was employed by Checkers Molewa in the Department of
developed political and began a life (Shoprite) at their Wierde Park branch. Already, Environmental Affairs until she met
long vocation of struggle. comrades in Pretoria then were organising workers her untimely death.
into various trade unions, but especially, the
Inevitably , when the student’s riots South African Allied Workers Union (SAAWU), a Throughout her life, comrade Stola
erupted in Atteridgeville on the cold militant and openly pro ANC union. At the same Mamabolo was an exemplary
morning of the 21st June 1976, at the period a community Newsletter, The Eye, which cadre of the ANC. She served her
age of 18 Stola Mamabolo was one raised political awareness was used to mobilise organisation , the ANC , the
of the brave young women, still in communities and workers into the struggle for government of South Africa and
their teens, who bravely faced the freedom. the people of her country with
might of apartheid police, armed to distinction, commitment,
the teeth and ready to shoot and kill. Comrade Stola played a critical role in both The enthusiasm, zeal, tenacity and the
And shoot and kill they did! As was Eye and SAAWU activities. But when she joined diligence. Even when rent
the case throughout the country, the Checkers, she was advised to be part of the seekers and condence tricksters
clarion cry to rise against the resident union, the Commercial, Catering and joined her organisation, the ANC,
imposition of Afrikaans and the Allied Workers Union of South Africa (CCAWUSA) and to use it as an instrument to
continuation of an inferior later to be called South African Trade Union loot state resources for self
education on black youth by the (COSATU) was formed in 1985, Comrade Stola enrichment and thus sought
system, Stola Mamabolo and her was founding member as a delegate from through their actions to despondency
peers started what was to be a long SACCAWU. make her to betray the revolution.
road of dedication and sacrice in Cde Stola was a founding member
the struggle to free her country from Understanding very well the symbiotic relations of AHHF.
the white autocratic minority rule. between community and worker struggles,
Comrade Stola also played a central role in the Many would sing her praises but few
After protracted student struggles in formation of the Saulsville - Atterdgeville Youth would be like her. Let her true spirit
Atteridgeville, where for over two Organisation (SAYO) whose members became permeate through the ranks of new
years there was no proper schooling, the front - troopers in the house to house cadres who are prepared to change
Stola then enrolled at the Vlakfontein campaigns that led to the formation of the her government for the betterment
High school in Mamelodi, determened Atteridgeville - Saulsville Residents Organisation of the people.
to continue with her education. But (ASRO). a tireless freedom ghter, Comrade
because the problems of Bantu Stola was one of the local women who formed
Education persisted and followed the branch of the revived Federation of South
every black child in the length and Africa Women (FEDSAW) under the leadership
breadth of the country. of Mama Albertina Sisulu, whose birthday

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Heritage & History Foundation Page 8 March 2023 Issue 1
153 - 815 NPO