Mbeki to give honours to 26 people – and a university

Report by Sapa

PRETORIA – FOREIGN statesmen, local freedom fighters, Good Samaritans and a university will be among 27 recipients of national orders at a ceremony in Pretoria next Tuesday.

In the fifth ceremony of its kind since the adoption of South Africa’s new system of national orders, President Thabo Mbeki is to honour citizens and foreign nationals for distinguished and exceptional conduct.

The selection of recipients, black and white and across the gender line, “expresses symbolically the government’s commitment to the building of a South Africa that truly belongs to all”, he said.

Decorations to be presented next week are – the Order of Mapungubwe, for South African citizens whose achievements have had an international impact; the Order of the Baobab for citizens who distinguished themselves in business, the economy, science, medicine, technological innovation and community service; and the Order of Luthuli for citizens who have made a meaningful contribution to the struggle for democracy, human rights, nation-building, justice, peace and conflict resolution.

Six foreigners are to receive the Order of the Companions of OR Tambo – bestowed on those who have shown friendship to South Africa.

Among the recipients of the Order of the Baobab was the University of Fort Hare, for its “exceptional contribution to black academic training and leadership development on the African continent”.

Others in the category include architect Revel Fox, land activist Ethel Barlow, and community workers Urbania Mothopeng and Marjorie Manganye. Job Rathebe is to be honoured for providing social services to the orphans, widows and dependants of black soldiers killed in the Second World War.

The Order of Luthuli will go to 14 individuals, including late justice minister Dullah Omar, former parliamentary speaker Frene Ginwala and ANC founding president John Dube.

Other recipients will include the ANC Youth League’s first president, Anton Lembede, and activists and freedom fighters like Flag Boshielo, Edward Daniels, Fish Keitseng, Archibald Sibeko and Madimetja Phokanoka.

PAC activist Kwedie Mkalipi is also in the group, as are Non-European Unity Movement founder member Isaac Tabata and former United Women’s Organisation chairwoman Dorothy Zihlangu.

Recipients of the accolade for foreigners will include former Guyana prime minister Cheddi Jagan, former Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, former Indonesian president Ahmed Sukarno, and former Guinean diplomat Diallo Boubacar – who helped found the Organisation for African Unity. These will all be awarded posthumously.

Scientist Sydney Brenner, who won the 2002 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for his research into genetics, is to receive the Order of Mapungubwe in gold.