BLOEMFONTEIN: An accomplished academic figure and one of the prominent stalwarts of the Azanian People’s Organisation (Azapo), Dr Masilonyane Lefuo was laid to rest on Friday, 1 August, in Bloemfontein. He passed on 27 July, at the age of 60 years.
Well-known as Kenya, Lefuo emerged from the generation of visionary and conscious student leadership of the Black Consciousness Movement (BCM).
He is remembered for his being of conscious mind, and as an activist who led from the front and with conviction to liberate the mind of black people during his era of schooling.
Several people paid tribute to Lefu and shared their memories.
Remembering the stalwart, Thabang Selemela shared his thoughts.
“Humility personified. He was an absolute gentleman, brave with an ear as sharp as a spear, honey for a brain and a snail for a tongue, with an imagination with a leopard’s agility. As young men try to make sense of what our country has become, Kenya never spared his thoughts for what he thought could and should be done as an Azapo activists,” said Selemela.
“For Azapo he held the Black Consciousness light so high with pride and confidence like no other.
“He remained true to the course until the last day, unwavering and unshaken by the attractions of being fascinated by what was fashionable.”
Selemela said he had fond memories of Lefuo.
“I will remember Kenya as a man who loved black people, who loved education, who loved Azapo, who loved his family with the arrogance of a Mr Know-it-all.”
Selemela said his first encounter with Lefuo was at the Lereko High School in 1984.
“I remember him clearly one year, Kenya coming to our St.7 (Gr.9) class to talk to us about our school, for the inclusion of isiXhosa and SeTswana − arguing that when Lereko started in 1964 it had these languages.
“He questioned why it was now a SeSotho school.
“Kenya acted more like a salesman in a hall full of multitudes of salesmen with little trust in their products, when he had absolute confidence in his,” said Selemela.
Tebello “Shakes” Masitha said Lefuo lived a life of Amilcar Cabral’s theory of class suicide.
“He lived amongst us all regardless of our status.
“He was so in love with a simple and ordinary life; an ordinary revolutionary who loved simple questions and simple responses.
“He loved his people, his family and was proud of the assets and history of his community,” said Masitha.
He said he had known Lefuo from 1988.
“He used to share with us the history of various revolutionaries of the world, Africa and South Africa. Even though I was a Science and Maths student, on Saturdays at the Black Student Study Project, comrade Kenya sponsored our school activities , used to buy us food and cook for us at his place,” said Masitha.
