ORBITUARY OF SISTER BERNARD NCUBE ... - Gauteng Online

ORBITUARY OF SISTER BERNARD NCUBE (1932 – 2012)Sister Bernard Ncube was born to Benedict Khosi Ncube and Annah Dichia Ncube inEdenvale in 1932.She started her primary school at Sacred Heart in Dukathole, Germiston andproceeded to St. Thomas Catholic School for her secondary education. She wasthen sent to Roma College in Lesotho where she completed a Diploma in Theology.In 1955 she entered the Companions Catholic Order and took the name SisterBernard.One of 11 siblings, her family was forcibly removed to Dube Soweto; perhaps afelony that ignited a sense of disgust over the then apartheid system of separatedevelopment.As a founder member of the Federation of South African Women (FEDSAW) in1955, Sister Bernard together with Albertina Sisulu, Helen Joseph, Rita Nzanga,Maniben Sita, Francis Baard amongst others, took a decision in December 1984 toresuscitate the organisation by forming the Federation of Transvaal Women(FEDTRAW).She served as its first President. She was tasked with the responsibility of recruiting,training and preparing women for participating in an organisation whose mandatewas to popularise the ANC’s Freedom Charter, to support families of politicaldetainees, in particular student detainees, and to address the plight of rural womento mention a few.A team of young women around her included, Zeni Tshongweni, NomvulaMokonyane; (current Premier of Gauteng Province), Jessie Duarte, Baby Twaya,Leila Patel, Cecelia Palmer, Susan Shabangu and Feroza Adam.When Kagiso and Munsieville were occupied by the South African Defence Force(SANDF) and turned into a war zone in 1985, Sister Bernard and the priests in thearea mobilised parents to assist with the large number of children detained andsome killed.In 1989 Sister Bernard was part of a United Democratic Front (UDF) delegation thattravelled to the USA to meet with George Bush Senior and Margaret Thatcher. Thedelegation was led by Albertina Sisulu and included Azar Cachalia, Titus Mafole,Curnick Ndlovu and Jessie Duarte to present the conditions of South Africa underapartheid regime.They also flew to Lusaka to meet with the National Executive Committee (NEC) ofthe ANC and President Oliver Tambo. She was invited to meet with PresidentNelson Mandela before his release to report on the status of women’s organisation inthe country.Sister Bernard was a Director for Ministries in the Institute of Contextual Theology aninstitution she formed with Father Smangaliso Mkhatswha. She was actively involvedin bringing senior church leaders closer to the war for justice.1

In 1991 she was elected to the National Executive Committee of the ANC where sheserved until 1997. In 1994 she became a Member of Parliament and chaired thePortfolio Committee on Arts and Culture. In 2002 she was appointed as Mayor ofWest Rand Metro.This history and much unpublished and unknown of her political commitment clearlydictates her life’s work as a personal sacrifice to serve her country, its children andwomen in particular. She leaves a legacy as a fighter for justice and freedom, anotable advocate of the rights of women and a stricter for socio-political andeconomic order and transformation.Sister Bernard Ncube leaves behind two brothers, four sisters and a South Africancommunity that she served with compassion and dedication.Lala ngoxolo Khambul’ elihle mzilankatha!2