Lerato Moeketse
Lerato Moeketse
Sipho Donald Mavundla was born on June 17 1966 in Mzimhlophe, Soweto.
Like many young men of his time, the struggle for freedom at the time shaped his life.
When he was only 10 the Soweto uprising of 1976 led him into politics.
His life was never the same again because, like thousands of other young activists, he landed at the Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College in Tanzania.
He underwent military training with Umkhonto we Sizwe. But not before he spent months in detention in Mozambique.
Mavundla, whose education was interrupted by the struggle, came back to the country in 1991 and enrolled at the Peninsula Technikon in Western Cape to study Information Technology.
Before he left the country he was studying for a law degree. Because of police harassment he had to abandon his books and flee South Africa.
Comrade Sipho, as he was called by those close to him, was passionate about his community.
He never forgot where he came from and, during the violence between local residents and hostel dwellers, he played a mediatory role to end the strife.
Mavundla is survived by his mother, three sisters and two children.
He will be buried tomorrow at the Slovoville Cemetery. The service at Mayor's Park starts at 9am.
Comrade who had a gift to still conflicts
Lerato Moeketse
Lerato Moeketse
Sipho Donald Mavundla was born on June 17 1966 in Mzimhlophe, Soweto.
Like many young men of his time, the struggle for freedom at the time shaped his life.
When he was only 10 the Soweto uprising of 1976 led him into politics.
His life was never the same again because, like thousands of other young activists, he landed at the Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College in Tanzania.
He underwent military training with Umkhonto we Sizwe. But not before he spent months in detention in Mozambique.
Mavundla, whose education was interrupted by the struggle, came back to the country in 1991 and enrolled at the Peninsula Technikon in Western Cape to study Information Technology.
Before he left the country he was studying for a law degree. Because of police harassment he had to abandon his books and flee South Africa.
Comrade Sipho, as he was called by those close to him, was passionate about his community.
He never forgot where he came from and, during the violence between local residents and hostel dwellers, he played a mediatory role to end the strife.
Mavundla is survived by his mother, three sisters and two children.
He will be buried tomorrow at the Slovoville Cemetery. The service at Mayor's Park starts at 9am.