Windhoek
In a sombre speech National Assembly Speaker Professor Peter Katjavivi has described the late anti-apartheid stalwart, Randolph Vigne, as a compassionate person who dedicated himself to the cause of freedom and independence for both Namibia and South Africa.
Katjavivi made the remarks at the memorial service Vigne in London recently, where the speaker was joined by his wife, Jane.
“We stand with you here today to represent ourselves, the National Assembly of the Republic of Namibia, our President Hage Geingob and our country, Namibia, as we remember and celebrate the life of our dear friend Vigne, who left us a few weeks ago,” Katjavivi said at the memorial.
“Indeed, Randolph was a very special friend to many of us in Namibia and beyond the borders of Namibia. We learned with great sadness about his passing on. However, in life there are things that are beyond us in this world and death is one of these things. It is a road meant for all of us at some point during the course of our lives.”
He said the mourners were gathered there to celebrate and remember Vigne’s life, because he made a great impact on all who knew him and appreciated what he stood for.
“Personally, I remember Randolph as a compassionate person, who gave himself for the cause of freedom and independence of both Namibia and South Africa,” Katjavivi said. “Towards this end, he actively devoted his time to assist the struggle for the freedom and liberation of Namibia by working with Namibians, particularly in the area of solidarity and public awareness in the United Kingdom.”
According to Katjavivi, Randolphe Vigne provided dedicated leadership for the Friends of Namibia Committee, based in London, which was later transformed into the famous Namibia Support Committee. He said it was the support committee that dedicated itself to promoting and building solidarity for the liberation of Namibia.
“The grouping enlisted a number of men and women of goodwill of various ages, who promoted the cause of Namibia’s self-determination… I worked closely with Randolph, along with many of our international friends in the solidarity movement, during my time as Swapo’s chief representative of its UK and Western Europe office in the late 1960s and 70s,” the National Assembly Speaker recalled.
“Indeed, we lost a dear personal friend to many of us and a friend of the Namibian nation, who stood for what he believed in. The founding president of the Republic of Namibia, Comrade Sam Nujoma, has described Randolph as ‘a fearless fighter for freedom and justice’.”
He said Vigne was known to many Namibians, particularly those who were based in Cape Town in the 1950s and 60s. “One of these being the Honourable Andimba Toivo ya Toivo, who even named one of Randolph’s grandchildren, Hanganeni, which literally translates into ‘Let us unite’,” he reminisced.
A decade ago Vigne personally donated the archives of the London-based Namibia Support Committee – which holds a wealth of primary source material from the period – to the National Archives of Namibia.