Gertrude Shope Dies Troubled by South Africa’s Decline: Mbeki Calls for a Return to Her Values

On a grey Saturday morning, beneath the towering walls of Wits University, mourners gathered to say goodbye to Gertrude Shope. She was 99, just months shy of her centenary, and though her life was marked by immense courage, resistance, and unwavering commitment to South Africa’s liberation, her final days were not filled with peace.

Former President Thabo Mbeki, speaking quietly on the sidelines of the funeral service, offered a sobering reflection.

“She was very, very unhappy with the way things are going in our country,” he shared, his tone heavy with respect and disappointment.

It wasn’t just grief that filled the room, but a shared recognition that Shope had left this world with a sense of unfinished business.

A Giant of the Struggle

Gertrude Shope was more than an ANC veteran. She was an educator, a trade unionist, a feminist before the word gained global weight, and one of the fiercest champions of justice South Africa has ever known.

In the trenches of the anti-apartheid movement, she stood tall, not just as a fighter but as a leader who inspired countless others. She pushed for gender equality when few others dared. And after freedom was won, she continued her work—always focused, always principled.

Mbeki remembered her as “selfless” and “visionary,” a woman who never stopped pushing for a South Africa that worked for everyone, especially the most marginalised.

The Country She Fought For

But Shope’s South Africa, the one she and so many others risked everything to build, is not the country many see today.

High unemployment is crushing hope. Crime feels ever-present. Corruption continues to sap public trust. The cost of living has soared, the water crisis deepens, and gender-based violence still rages unchecked. For Shope, these weren’t just national problems — they were personal betrayals of the dream she fought for.

Her unease, as Mbeki expressed, should not be taken lightly. It should be a call to action.

“If we truly want to honour her,” Mbeki said, “we must recommit ourselves to fixing what is broken. To rebuilding that South Africa she believed in.”

A Message from the Presidency

President Cyril Ramaphosa also paid tribute, highlighting Shope’s pivotal contributions to democracy and workers’ rights. He praised her activism, her resilience, and the clarity of her convictions.

But what stood out more than the praise was the silence that followed — a moment in which many South Africans watching likely asked themselves: Are we living up to the promise she helped forge?

A Legacy That Demands More

Gertrude Shope’s story should be on school curriculums. Her name should echo beyond funeral speeches and government statements. Her life is a lesson in resilience, empathy, and bold leadership.

Yet perhaps the greatest way to honour her legacy isn’t through words at all.

It’s in actions.

It’s in the daily choices of citizens and leaders alike to fight corruption, protect the vulnerable, advocate for equality, and demand justice. It’s in fixing what has unraveled.

One Last Gift: A Wake-Up Call

Shope’s passing is a moment of reflection — not just for the ANC, but for every South African. Her life proves that transformation is possible, even against the most overwhelming odds.

If we let her final disillusionment become her legacy, we lose something irreplaceable.

But if we use her disappointment as a wake-up call, as Mbeki urged, then maybe, just maybe, we can still build the South Africa she dreamed of.

{Source: IOL}

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