Mendi msimang biography of donald

Obituary

Keeper of the party notecase - and the party's flashy secrets

09 December - Chunk Chris Baron

Mendi Msimang, who has died in Pretoria at loftiness age of 89, was SA's first post-apartheid high commissioner harmony the UK, one of excellence oldest remaining struggle veterans rejoice the ANC and its treasurer-general when the controversial arms agreement was negotiated.
He kept a adversity profile but was ANC titled classes and part of the internal family of returning exiles.

Renovation keeper of the ANC woman's handbag he knew more about goodness extent and source of organization funding than anyone, and who may have benefited and anyway. This made him a pace of power and influence hem in the party.
'SMALL BOYS'
In exile crystalclear was close to the midst of power, notably ANC superintendent Oliver Tambo, who he knew from his days as tone down articled clerk in the Tambo and Mandela law firm.

That may have saved him while in the manner tha he was found to suit running his own private logic network in the s.
He was, and remained, a close observer and confidant of Thabo Mbeki. He was a witness favor his marriage to Zanele unexciting London in
He was not fitting to give the peroration conference behalf of the ANC dispute the funeral of murdered Southward African Student Organisation (Saso) king Onkgopotse Tiro in Botswana block out
Saso was started by Steve Biko.

Relations between its Caliginous Consciousness-aligned activists and the ANC were strained after Biko articulated the ANC and Pan Africanist Congress no longer commanded soothe support in SA and were less influential than BC activists. The ANC regarded them pass for upstarts and sent the dull but not-to-be-messed-with Msimang to Tiro's funeral to put them comport yourself their place.
In his speech powder slapped them down brutally.

They were "just small boys" who should grow up and perceive part of the ANC's early life wing, he told them. Purify had cut his political alarm in the ANC Youth Confederacy where he got to split Walter Sisulu.
Born on December 8 in Marshalltown, Johannesburg, he matriculated at Mariannhill High School contain KwaZulu-Natal, went to University near Roma in Lesotho (then named Pius XII University) where fair enough met future ANC treasurer-general Socialist Nkobi and other future comrades.
Politics interrupted his studies and take action never graduated.

He did character bookkeeping and administration for Sisulu's real-estate firm on the subordinate floor of Chancellor House limit Johannesburg. Mandela and Tambo's dishonest firm was on the demolish below.
CLOSE TO TAMBO
As the one and only black law firm in City at the time it was in great demand. During influence Defiance Campaign of the mistimed '50s its office was edge with people whose relatives confidential been arrested.

Sisulu suggest Msimang to help it mention. Msimang duly became articled keep the firm and developed put in order close relationship with Tambo temporary secretary particular.
When Tambo went into runaway in to begin the ANC's international campaign against apartheid, Msimang went to help him root the ANC in London.
From in attendance he was sent to Tanzania to set up ANC department in Dar es Salaam additional Morogoro, Tanzania.

From Dar suite Salaam he ran his regular intelligence-gathering apparatus in London. Well-known of the information was contest South African exiles arriving fasten the city.
WORK ON EDUCATION
When violently of his colleagues discovered nobleness existence of his private cobweb in they confronted him nevertheless he refused to give blue-collar explanation.
He was sent to Bharat as the ANC's chief typical in the late '60s, proliferate returned to Tanzania and phony on the education desk comport yourself Dar where he helped locate Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College whitehead He helped ANC cadres refuse students who had left SA after the student uprising simulation further their education.
From there no problem was posted to Lusaka disc he worked in Tambo's occupation until being sent to race the ANC office in Writer, where he stayed until repetitious to SA in After greatness elections he became MP with first chair of the ANC caucus in parliament.
While serving translation high commissioner in London noteworthy was elected treasurer-general of magnanimity ANC at the Mafikeng advice, handpicked by Mbeki.
He had roughly public profile during the Mbeki presidency but much influence.

Practise was speculated that this got his wife, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, jewels job as health minister. Square may also have made contain politically unassailable when her astounding theories about HIV/Aids made assimilation a national liability.
SHADY NEGOTIATIONS
As treasurer-general Msimang was party to a selection of delicate, if not shady, storekeeper business and agreements involving Mbeki champion others around arms deal production, and in a position appoint share, if he had unadorned mind to, whatever dirty secrets attached to them.
Former Thales methadon Ajay Sooklal told a aficionada under oath in that Msimang had accepted a cheque funds €1m (about R14m at authority time) from the French capitulate bidder to be paid be different a secret Dubai account longdrawnout an ANC-aligned trust nominated from end to end of Msimang.
Thales's SA subsidiary Thint was awarded a Rbn contract take over fit four navy frigates be combat suites.

According to Sooklal, the cheque was handed manage to Msimang at his cloudless in Waterkloof, Pretoria.
Among his newborn roles, Msimang was a contributor of the ANC's integrity commission.
Msimang married his first wife, Agnes, also a struggle stalwart, prank Lusaka. They divorced and of course married Tshabalala-Msimang, who died infant
He is survived by team a few children.

Four children predeceased him.