Condolence message by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa on the occasion of the funeral service of Mr Michael Coetzee, former Secretary of Parliament, Cape Town

21 June 2014

Programme Director,

The family of Mr Michael Coetzee,

Honourable Members of Parliament,

The staff of Parliament,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Just a few days ago we celebrated Youth Day in honour of those young people who, in their own way, took it upon themselves to stand up for what they believed was a serious injustice in our society. They were brave and courageous young people who showed conviction and sacrificed their youth, families and ultimately their own education - a generation of youth who started a movement to transform our society and who succeeded.

At only 17 at the time, Michael was one of those young people whose life and destiny was shaped by that tragic day in Soweto on June 16, 1976.

And on this day, as we say farewell to Michael, we also celebrate a life well lived in the service of his people, his country and the African National Congress he helped to build.

This was unforgiving work. A task not readily rewarded.

As a student at the University of the Western Cape and an activist in the Eastern Cape, Michael started the difficult task of building organisations from the ground upwards - civic organisations, workers organisations and youth organisations.

He was there for the launch of the United Democratic Front and he was there when Cosatu was formed. He helped shape these organisations with astute political insight, a clear vision of what had to be achieved, and, as we say, the strategies and tactics of revolution was something he delved into with great detail and insight.

He was one of the activists who paid attention to detail. He related his work to a firm ideological base, pursuing the broader goals of the National Democratic Revolution.

This he did with remarkable distinction during a repressive period in the 1970s and 80s, characterised by some of the most outrageous human right violations endured by our people.

Michael was there.

We know he was hung by his feet over the Van Staden's River Bridge. We know he was tortured severely. We know he lost some of his closest comrades and friends - people like Matthew Goniwe - and we know of the many hours of solitary confinement.

But Michael was not deterred. He was a courageous, dogged fighter with a determined spirit, driven by a deep commitment to his organisation, the ANC.

In 1981, Michael was recruited into the ANC underground. He worked with Headley King and Zelda Holtzman who spoke so eloquently about their time in ANC underground structures and traveled to Lesotho to receive training in underground work.

As he described it himself:

"The underground and the ANC penetration or link with coloured activism in the Western Cape wasn't necessarily dynamic at that stage. So we were probably the first wave of such individuals and we consciously had a position that our role was not a military one, it was political... We were conscious politicals and we saw our role as linking the mass organisation emerging in the country and the exile ANC. We also saw our role as being a cog in the national coordination of such processes."

In 1982, the Maseru Raid took place in Lesotho. Forty-two people were killed and the SADF seized documents, including some that exposed the ANC's Western Cape networks.

In 1983, Michael was detained. Shortly afterwards, so were Headley and Zelda for furthering the aims of the ANC. Headley was charged with having contact with the ANC and with recruiting people to the ANC. It became clear the apartheid state planned to call Michael as a state witness.

This is how Michael related his conviction for perjury to his friends:

"You know, until that very morning in court, they thought I was going to give evidence against Headley. When I took the witness stand, they said ‘Will you take the oath of affirmation?'

And instead, when I took the oath, I said: ‘So help me, Oliver Tambo'."

He spent time in Albany prison as a common law prisoner.

Michael was true to the ANC, true to the values of our organisation and a good example of what we expect of our people.

In the Gauteng legislature, national Parliament and the Pan African Parliament, he continued to build organisations and institutions so central to the success of our democracy.

He often said that rules in an institution such as parliament were liberating. He believed that playing the game by rules that were defined to ensure transformation and yet respect the value of difference of viewpoints made for a strong democracy.

That's what Michael has done, from the streets of Galvandale in Port Elizabeth, to organisations in the Eastern Cape, to national and Pan African institutions.

He was the consumate public servant. Building bridges with all the parties he served in parliament , yet never reliquishing his activism nor his determination to transform the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa into an institution that advances the interests of the people.

We have heard many political parties say that Michael's death is a great loss to the institution he loved. He died with his boots on, working to the last day.

We have heard the branch chairperson of Nehawu in Parliament describe comrade Coetzee as someone who fought against unfair labour practices; he listened to people and understood what they needed to ensure the success of parliament.

We lost Michael Coetzee to cancer and we need to commit our country to engage in much needed research into the causes of cancer.

He has served us. He has done his duty and he leaves us today.

For all you have done, we say thank you, Michael. It's been a life well lived and a life we have the honour to celebrate.

To his wife Bridgette and son Matthew, to his mother Bertha, sister Alexandra, and brother, Reggie, I express sincere condolences on behalf of President Jacob Zuma, our government and the African National Congress.

He has left a legacy of what a great public servant should be - dedicated, sincere, honest and committed to excellence and service .

To Michael's family and friends we say: he was a unique son of our soil. 

Thank you for sharing him with the people of South Africa.

May he rest in peace.

I thank you.

Issued by the Presidency, June 21 2014

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter