This week’s death of Smiso Nkwanyana, the South African Communist Party’s KwaZulu-Natal secretary, could not have come at a worse time for a party out to assert its independence.
Nkwanyana (31), who was killed in a car crash in Durban, would have been the party’s most effective strategist on this issue. He had already started discussions on whether the party should consider fielding its own candidates for next year’s election.
A hard-line communist, Nkwanyana was among SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande’s closest aides.
He was central to building SACP and Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) structures in KwaZulu-Natal in recent years, and was among the party militants most instrumental in the ejection of Minister of Public Enterprises Jeff Radebe and Minister in the Presidency Essop Pahad from the SACP’s central committee last year.
Nkwanyana’s distinctive laugh — a booming cackle — often announced his presence and gave assurance that no problem was too big to confront. Whether attacks on ”ultra-leftists” by President Thabo Mbeki or Radebe’s newfound enthusiasm for privatisation, humour was his typical response.
Nkwanyana frequently challenged the African National Congress in national meetings to debate strategy. But despite his vociferous socialism, his dedication to the ANC and the alliance was never in doubt. Nkwanyana even officiated in place of the ANC provincial secretary Sipho Gcabashe in his absence.
At the time of his death, he had been appointed deputy provincial election coordinator for the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal after being seconded by the SACP to the alliance election team.
His intellectual prowess and frankness earned him the respect of even his critics. The ANC said his ”political insight, commitment and energy will be sorely missed by the organisation”.
Nkwanyana was elected SACP provincial deputy secretary in 1998 and served as provincial secretary from 1999. He had previously served as the provincial secretary of the South African Students’ Congress between 1997 and 1998.
He leaves his wife, Gcina, and two children.
Jaspreet Kindra
Smiso Nkwanyana, born 1972 died August 12 2003