The first Graaff-Reinet democratic Mayor Zola Hanabe (76), a teacher, a preacher, Principal, Businessman and farmer, passed away on the 15 June. The legend will be buried on Saturday 20 June.
Hanabe was born in Adendorp and started his primary education at Nonyaniso Methodist church mission school in 1959 at the Methodist church building at Masizakhe, and later moved to Adendorp primary school that was later renamed Lesley Mankayi primary school.
His father was a railway worker during the 1950’s. He was schooling with the likes of Jeff Maqetuka (who is now the Ambassador to Russia) and Nanziwe Vena, a business woman.
He later attended the A.M.E church school in Graaff–Reinet (now Robert Sobukwe Town) in grade 7, and further proceed to the Bantu Secondary school (now referred to as Nqweba secondary school) doing form 1.
In 1971 he started his teachers’ training at Bensonvale just outside Sterkspruit where he obtained his teaching certificate. His teaching career started in 1972 at Middledrift where would meet his wife. In 1976 he taught at Luxolo primary school in Aberdeen. He was actively involved during the 1980’s political struggle fighting for the freedom of South Africa.
He took over at Adendorp primary school as principal, after Patrick Sodladla retired. Adendorp school was changed to Lesley Mankayi primary school under Hanabe.
In 1987 he took over at Isibane when the school moved from the Methodist church building to the informal structure (Bantu Secondary School) where the Sobukwe Museum is now.
From 1989 – 1990 he took study leave to upgrade his teachers certificate to PTD (Primary Teachers Diploma) after Shadrack Ndaba Lisa retired. The school was faced with infrastructure challenges, the then school board under Sipho Mbotya as chairperson, fought for a new and better school premises, where Isibane primary school is situated right now.
Zola never stopped learning – he took up studies for Public Administration, majoring in Political science, Public Administration, and Ethic studies modules. He played rugby for the Swallows, Stars of Hope RFC, Black Hawkers (Middledrift) and the ABC R.F.C
“I was just doing it for the people and looking at the lives of the people and where I come from. I come from a poor community with nothing to point at but only poverty”, said Zola.
He became the first democratic mayor of Graaff-Reinet after the election in 1994. As the Transitional Local Council, they were faced with challenges of improving the roads, water and sanitation, and infrastructure development within the townships, uMasizakhe and Kroonvale.
Chrisjan Maya remembered Hanabe as one of the most straight-forward and strict people, although they did not receive big salaries, they were there to serve the community and service delivery was number one priority to them.
His leadership and contribution were instrumental in re-building the townships of Graaff Reinet. He later became Municipal Manager at Ikwezi Municipality.
Reflecting on his time as Mayor, Hanabe was instrumental to name changes:
Van Ryneveld Pass dam became Nqweba dam. The P.W. BOTHA Building in 2000 became MANGALISO ROBERT SOBUKWE Memorial Building, granting the freedom of the Town to Rev. Fred Hufkie and the late Prof. Mangaliso Robert Sobukwe for their contribution to the people of Graaff-Reinet.
ACHIEVEMENTS:
ADENDORP PRIMARY SCHOOL TO LESLEY MANKAYI PRIMARY SCHOOL. The Adendorp primary school that used to be only for white children, they reopened it for the children in Adendorp region.
NONZWAKAZI METHODIST CHURCH TO ROBERT MANGALISO SOBUKWE MEMORIAL Church:
“Lord You Have Made Me become a Sign to Many…” Hanabe is a local preacher to the Methodist and later became the circuit steward. He thanks the Lord for gracing him the amount of years(76) and that he still could be with congregation on his birthday.
Zola suffered a stroke and his health deteriorated, but he still insisted on helping the community with advice in community building, shared his experience in politics, business leadership and skills as an active farmer.
“We do not stop playing because we are old! We grow old because we stop playing. There are only four secrets staying young, being happy and achieving success – You have to laugh and find humor every day. You have got to have a dream, when you lose your dreams You die. We have so many people walking around who are dead and don’t even know it- There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up, if you are 19 years old and lie in bed for one full year and don’t do one productive thing you will turn 20 years old. If you are 87 years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything you will turn 88. Anybody can grow older that does not take any talent or ability- the idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity and change, have no regrets. The elderly usually doesn’t have regrets for what we did but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets”.
