WeeklySA_AdminMIRROR: He came on the centre-stage to prove that to be so-called gay, is not just generally ‘queer’, in the true sense of queerness…
Tribute by Njabulo Vilakazi
When Eusebius McKaiser breathed his last, last week on May 30, it so esoterically prefigured Anton Lembede’s death, on this very day, albeit on July 30 1947, it is not funny…
And, if this does not uncannily mirror typology of biblical proportions, then nothing ever will. And, if you ask, does it matter on which date we die?
My curt answer is, it equally does, as is your date of birth. This marked seventy-six years since Anton Lembede died at a most young age of 33,and as silly as death would always be, at a mockingly young age of forty-five died Eusebius. Two towering personages in our home history, whose rare mettle intellectually and just gutty nature has been of always a watershed clout than the present load-shedding bogey heft perennially landed on ourselves by the most-daft of all time…
At an equally very unacceptably young age to die for the African leader of Lembede’s stature: a protégé of Prixley ka Isaka Seme, the author of the very first ‘I am an African’ speech in 1906 when, at the Columbia University in the US, he was graduating with a BA Degree and earning the George William Curtis medal.
When Lembede had died, he had left a huge void up to then, rare quality of intellect and African eruditeness that he had offered the ANC Youth League, of which he was the President and having authored the added verve to its very idea of African Nationalism-first chiselled out by Ka Seme.
The youth leaguers of the day, like AP Mda , Walter Sisulu, Potlako Leballo, Nelson Mandela and Mangaliso Sobukwe, together with the whole political intelligentsia following them, including most of the African young eating out of the hand of their formidable leader that Lembede was, were left with a huge in effect and a resulting see-sawing that ultimately led to the historical rupture that shot out the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania splinter thought…
Lembede’s demise had openly left South Africa badly psychologically scarred and its functional political body, politically perennially impaired. Whatever the political sliding or stubbornly standing side anyone had found themselves in.
Eusebius McKaiser, a huge present-day gender exponent, miraculous trail-blazer and stabiliser – as he brought to a mechanically created and churned out national/continental and global so-called scourge – no new frills fad of ‘Parades’ and jamborees on Main Streets and Boulevards; but rather chose to add the lasting fibrous moral cachet of the highest order to the rarely desired to have been, but fatefully, generally, left just – a normative ‘anomaly’ to a biological human nature – but scientifically and biologically aptly called homosexuality.
PHENOMENON
An animal /human phenomenon that the world had long lived with, up until the newest nomenclatures gay, lesbian and, lately the LGBTIQ people, a global nation, that Jan Van Riebeek and Christopher Columbus have just found…
He came on the centre stage to prove that to be so-called gay, is not just generally ‘queer’ in the true sense of queerness, but in instances just like in all human natures and traits, would be seen also as capable of being, super-naturally intellectual, academic and just as stately and solidly human personor superman/woman like all some of us…
That, therefore, one does not have to shout in the main streets and by-ways to say: ‘See me come out’, and to gaudily celebrate it. Come out of what? Of the normal clay of creation than all animals, birds and other creatures come out of?
Just like Lembede, just before the onset of the era of the great ANC Change Of Command; as in the recalling of Dr A B Xuma, it had been cool for Anton Lembede to be a precocious young lion, and then to just bow out into the ether, still very young to shake to its core the African politics and its great espoused hope of the time…
When Chris Hani died, in middle age, Peter Mokaba and Sabelo Phama died young, the whole country teetered on the brink of total hope collapse; when Robert Sobukwe, Walter Sisulu and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and Nelson Mandela’s own day- even as the nonagenarian-to meet their Maker had come, in a ripe old age, a huge tear was – indeed – shed and a collective huge head bowed.
When Eusebius McKaizer had to go so young at forty-five, he leaves a gargantuan legacy especially for the homosexual and their non-basher, ‘apologists’ and dignity protectors, who themselves have not lost any dignity for accepting a natural and human reality, as it is inbred in all animals.
Eusebius, still like Anton, cruelly leaves our world too young, but leaving a far-enlightened world for their own personal grit and rare characteristic resolve, than they found it; just as did Yeshua, Thomas Sankara, and all we can now say, as did Dr Aggrey Klaaste, for lack of angst expletives, while quoting some English bard of eon years, would say : ‘Death Is A Bitch’, and for me, still, while taking license to stretch a point a tad too far: why the hell, the female animal of the species that are the greatest human friends?
To be tainted and christened with the damn face of death. Now, dear erudite and most inquisitorial champion; even upon the most easily entrapped in the cop-out taboo mental wont, Eusebius the Real McCoy of Homosexuality Savior of our time…Why such a brazenly chutzpah-filled, the devil-may-care exit?
Oh, typical of you, indeed!
THE INIMITABLE ‘BADDIE’ ACTOR
PATRICK “STYLES” NDLOVU: THE INIMITABLE ‘BADDIE’ ACTOR
ICONIC: Nation bids farewell to TV drama legend from West Rand goldfields…
By Gugu Sibiya
Seasoned actor and musician Patrick Ndlovu (85), passed away last Tuesday, leaving behind a shocked and saddened showbiz fraternity.
Affectionately known as Styles in the goldfields town of Randfontein on the West Rand, the actor who died from natural causes spent his earlier years in Bongweni (Robinson). This was at the Randfontein Estates Gold Mine’s married quarters, where his family lived. He also spent a lot of time in Mohlakeng at his grandparents’ home.
Characteristic of his peers, he turned to music when boredom creeped on him. No surprises there, Randfontein was already famous for producing stars like the iconic Dolly Rathebe and the Leeuw Sisters. His friends and Styles wanted in on a chance to create their own legacy by starting a cappella gospel group. Proving to be talented, the youthful outfit impacted enough to make waves in the genre of their choice. In one of our chats, Styles mischievously confessed to have joined the music thing solely to impress and attract the attention of the fairer sex. At some point, he elevated his skills to playing the saxophone and clarinet. By then, his sights were firmly focused on jazz, which had always been perceived as elitist.
Styles’ music act went on for a while until he got bitten by the acting bug. Back then, television was not even a dream, so the young Styles paid his dues on the theatre stage. His talent was so well-honed that it wasn’t long before he was on high-profile theatrical productions, alongside luminaries of the trade. When he was cast for heritage theatre works like Mbongeni Ngema’s internationally acclaimed Sizwe Banzi is Dead and Woza Albert, as well as The Island, Styles says that’s when he conceded that he indeed was a true thespian in the arts.
By the time television rolled around, Styles was a highly respected and sought after actor to play meaty and challenging roles. Blessed with a stern-faced demeanour that naturally typecast him for badass or gang-lord acting roles, he didn’t disappoint.
Proof being memorable bad-guy roles like Zone 14 (Sizwe Moloi), Yizo Yizo (principal Mthembu), Sarafina!, The Wild (Masilo), The Queen (Goldfinger), Shaka Zulu (Mudli) and Lockdown (Israel).
A consummate professional imbued with discipline, Styles was blessed with a SAFTA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018, while he was still alive to appreciate it. Looking back, one wishes that more of the same could have come his way. The man was no doubt a legend, a captivating actor with a rare gift of interpreting whatever role he landed to perfection, without breaking a sweat.
In one of our sober conversations, he’d spoken about a wish for the local municipality to set him up with a theatre. He’d get idle kids off the streets, transform them into shining artistic diamonds that would star on world stages. He was frustrated by the short-sightedness of the powers-that-be who reduced the proposal to a talk shop, followed by empty promises to the detriment of local talent.
Ndlovu is survived by his wife, Kellina, and four children. He was laid to rest on Wednesday. May his soul rest in peace.
