Birthday wishes for Namibia's Ya Toivo

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has sent birthday wishes to renowned Pan Africanist, Namibian liberation struggle veteran and freedom fighter Andimba Herman Toivo Ya Toivo, who turns 90 on Friday.

“It is indeed an honour and privilege to join the people of Namibia in celebrating the birthday of this struggle veteran and former Robben Island prisoner, Comrade Andimba Herman Toivo Ya Toivo. 

“He is one of the gallant heroes of the African liberation struggle, not only for his country but for South Africa and the entire oppressed world at large. He fought for Namibia’s freedom both in South Africa in the early 1950s and in Namibia from the late 1950s, until his long period of imprisonment in 1968, and after his release from Robben Island in 1984,” President Zuma said on Thursday.

Ya Toivo was born on 22 August 1924. A former Namibian Minister in various portfolios, Ya Toivo is a teacher by training as well as a World War II veteran, founding member of the liberation organisation Ovamboland People’s Congress (OPC) and Ovamboland Peoples Organisation (OPO), which were the forerunners of the South West African People’s Organisation (SWAPO).

He was sentenced by the previous South West oppressive regime to 20 years in Robben Island, where he forged fraternal bonds with other freedom fighters, especially leaders of the South African Communist Party, uMkhonto Wesizwe and the African National Congress, including former President Nelson Mandela.

The President’s Special Advisor and spokesperson, Mac Mahara,j will attend the birthday celebrations in Namibia on 22 August 2014. – SAnews.gov.za