GEORGE NEWS - Thembalethu mourns the death of a pillar in their society, Beauty Nothobile Sampo, affectionately known as Mama Sampo, on Sunday 15 April.
Mervin Olivier, secretary of the ANC in George, says throughout her life she was a fearless fighter for social justice and the protection of human rights, particularly women's rights.
"She leaves a legacy of strong leaders and successful community struggles regarding land and tenure."
Olivier says Mama Sampo fought selflessly towards her dream of a better world, from her early days as a farm worker fighting for farm workers and dweller rights and her work as ANC councillor, to her dedicated work for landless people through the Southern Cape Land Committee (now known as Support Centre for Land Change).
He says it is fitting that as the country mourns the Mother of the Nation, George takes time to mourn the Mother of Thembalethu.
Mama Sampo's daughter Kholeka says her mother left her husband behind when she was forced to leave George in 1966, while her fourth child was only four months old.
"She later returned to George and worked in Wilderness as a domestic worker for many years. At the time her late sister was staying in Skuinskraal / Lawaaikamp and she would visit her there. That was the beginning of her involvement in the struggle against the oppression by the past government."
Kholeka says her mother moved to Thembalethu in January 1986. There she became involved in the community.
"She was the secretary of South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) and also the founding member of the People's Dialogue housing project to build houses in Thembalethu."
She says Mama Sampo was involved in a number of projects to empower women in Thembalethu, which included chicken farming, knitting and sewing projects. She was also one of the founding members of EDENfm and served as a board member. She was involved in the building of Imizamo Yethu High School and also served on their governing board.
When she saw the need for a crèche in the township, Sampo says, her mother decided to start a crèche in her backyard, and only later received funding from various stakeholders for building the crèche called Zamuxolo Playgroup, in Ngcakani Road, which is still in use.
She later was the principal of Zamuxolo Playgroup for a number of years until 1992. She was then employed by The Southern Cape Land Committee as a field worker up until her retirement in 2005.
Sampo says her mother was in good standing with the ANC and served them as a member until she died.
"She served the ANC as the branch secretary and became the first black female councillor in George in 1995. She served as a councillor in Ward 11 from 1995 to 1999."
Funeral aired
Morné Pietersen, station manager at EDENfm, said Mama Sampo will be missed. He said she played an active role in establishing the radio station in 2002. According to Pietersen she was also the first directors' chairperson. She played a big role in the first transition period of the George Municipality in 1994. He praised her for her role in establishing the first high school in Thembalethu, Imizamo Yethu High.
Pietersen said the radio station would air special messages in honour of Mama Sampo. They will also air the memorial service at 18:00 today, Wednesday 25 April, from the Thembalethu community hall and will air the funeral service on Saturday 28 April at 10:00 from the Methodist Church in Thembalethu.
For more information contact Mervin Olivier on 082 483 7607.
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