Dedicated Young Comrade here ♦ Remembering Comrade Zipho here ♦
Letter: Dedicated Young Comrade Chooses Communism
Today was a very special day for the youth and ICWP in South Africa. A young woman passed her matric exam. This marked her successful completion of high school. It is rare for a girl from a township to graduate. Parents spend lots of money to celebrate this special day, with expensive dresses and elaborate graduation parties.
It was also the weekend of the ICWP conference on dialectical materialism. This young comrade decided not to attend her once-in-a-lifetime graduation ceremony. Instead, she attended the ICWP dialectical materialism classes.
We recognized her dedication to the party with a card of appreciation and a small gift. She was overwhelmed and tearful when she thanked everyone.
You might have seen her in the May Day photos. She is in her school uniform, working very hard to organize our event. She also skipped classes on May Day to attend the ICWP celebration. Young comrades like her are the future of the party. Special thanks to comrade Qamani for nurturing a new generation of young communists!
—Older comrade
Letter: Remembering Comrade Zipho
It has been five years since comrade Zipho was murdered by gang violence in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
Comrade Zipho died instantly from multiple bullets. His friend died two weeks later of a negligent healthcare system that failed to save his life. All this took place just a few blocks from Zipho’s family in a drug-infested township.
ICWP members organized an extraordinary event to commemorate comrade Zipho. Hundreds of people attended his funeral. Red Flag was widely distributed. A comrade who survived the ambush highlighted the brutality of gang violence created by capitalism. His message was that only masses organized for communism can avenge such brutal murders. It resonated with Zipho’s friends and family.
The loss of comrade Zipho was difficult for everyone. But for Zipho’s mom, the pain was heartbreaking. At the memorial, people thought she would be inconsolable.
Every year, we visit Zipho’s mom. Every year, we share different stories about Zipho. His youthful innocence. His mischievous adventures with his friends.
This year, Zipho’s mom recalled the memorial five years ago. She said the Red Flag article gave her the strength to put her son to rest courageously. She recalled that everyone thought she would be crying and distraught, but she remained strong and did not cry.
The pages of Red Flag tell the stories of the masses fighting to eradicate the scourge of capitalism. These are stories of how to change the world. Zipho’s mom gives us the strength to change the world for communism.
—International comrade
