The National Office Bearers (NOBs) of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) have learnt with extreme sadness and shock of the untimely death of Mandy Rossouw.

Mandy, was one of the most revered journalist and whom nature had endowed with considerable talent as a writer and indispensable voice. She used these gifts unselfishly to narrate the socio-economic injustices faced by the working class and the poor in the modern day and capitalist South Africa.

Her affable voice, accompanied by an amorous smile on the airwaves, was deeply appreciated by the workers in factories, by students in lecture halls, by taxi-drivers in squalid taxi ranks, and elsewhere, because her voice was touching directly on the daily challenges or struggles faced by the working people and the marginalized youth.

Mandy, met her unfortunate death when she was destined for greatness in the newsroom. She was a living embodiment of the supreme sacrifices made by Ruth First, Michael Harmel, Bessie Head, and Alex la Guma for a free and independent media. She had a vision of a society where journalists operate freely without any threat of intimidation, police harassment or detention without trial by the powers that be.

To honour her memory and progressive outlook is to deepen our struggle in the battle of ideas for left ideas to be hegemonic, as opposed to the failed capitalist and neoliberal ideas.

We extend our warmest condolences to the family, friends, colleagues, relatives and the City Press.

To borrow a popular Nguni truism: Isitsh’ esihle asidleli

Contact:
Castro Ngobese, National Spokesperson – 081 011 11 37