16/08/2025
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Today marks a special day in the country’s liberation struggle history and the role of women in it, as one of our illustrious struggle heroines, mama Nokuhamba Nyawo, was honoured with the unveiling of her memorial tombstone in Ingwavuma, northern KZN, by the ANC’s Nokuhamba Nyawo region.
Very few may know of her beyond her region, which is sad. Mama Nokuhamba is an inspirational and selfless freedom fighter who gave everything of herself so that we could be free.
She was born on 1 January 1920 in Ingwavuma. She was recruited to the underground structures of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the ANC's military wing in 1983, at the age of 63, when MK had decided to start waging rural guerrilla warfare, as opposed to the urban guerrilla warfare which had characterised the struggle in the preceding years.
She was in the unit that operated in and around Ingwavuma. Her brief was to look after the guerrillas who were based in Ingwavuma. This included gathering intelligence about the movements of the enemy; being responsible for logistical supplies to the guerrillas; identifying possible recruits, providing courier services to and from Swaziland and transportation of weaponry from Swaziland to Ingwavuma and from Ingwavuma to inland KZN.
She involved her whole family in the struggle. They got to know and supported the guerrillas in the bush, at her encouragement. She was arrested with four of her children in 1985 under the notorious Section 29 of the Internal Security Act. It was during her arrest and trial that she demonstrated her heroism and dedication to the struggle to free the majority of the people of South Africa from institutionalised racial oppression.
Even though she was very sick with diabetes and high blood pressure, she resisted torture and humiliation at the hands of the Security Branch.
Her brother Nongolozi Jameson Mngomezulu, who worked closely with her, died a gruesome death after being abducted by police from Swaziland and was severely tortured until he died. The police, needing to get rid of the body, blew it up at a missile range near Sodwana Bay🥲
Mama Nokuhamba received the National Order of Luthuli in December 2009 for her selfless commitment to the struggle for freedom of the majority from bo***ge and for a better South Africa. Her brother baba Mngomezulu was equally awarded the Order of Luthuli in 2010.
She passed away on 5 March 2012, at the age of 92 and was accorded a Special Provincial Funeral.
We salute mama Nokuhamba Nyawo and baba Mngomezulu for their selfless and priceless
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