Eastern Cape Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane has, on behalf of the Provincial Government and people of the Eastern Cape Province, joined the Deiderick s family to bid farewell to one of the legendary activists of the province, uMama Lillian Diedericks, recently in Gqeberha.
Premier conveyed his condolences to the family of liberation struggle activist and ANC stalwart, upon learning of the nonagenarians passing recently at the age of 96.
Premier described Mam Lillian as a devoted servant of people of the Eastern Cape province and the Country at large, who deeply rooted in servant-leadership.
" The news of Mam'uLillian's passing sent shockwaves in our country as reality sunk in, that another stalwart of the golden generation of the 1956 Women s March is no more" Premier said. "When we count national heroes and heroines such as ooMama uCharlotte Maxeke, ooTata uNelson Mandela, nooMama uAlbertina Sisulu, we also mention the name of Mama Lillian Diedericks" he added.
He also described Mamu Lilly as a leader of rarely equalled commitment, who also had an unshakable resolve to always be better and do best for people. "Mama Lillian and her generation never relented and fought tirelessly for years. They took us to the promised land and freed us from the bondages of the violation against humanity that was the apartheid regime" he mentioned.
"As the provincial government we wish to convey our deepest sympathies to the family, at this hour of grief. Mama Lillian fought a good fight, and we are forever indebted to her, for her contribution to the struggle for freedom and the building of our new democratic nation" Premier alluded.
Aunty Lilly's passing came few months after she was honored while still alive by Eastern Cape Government, by renaming the Bhisho State House building after herself. The renaming was part of government s effort to honour the liberation struggle icon and Eastern Cape legend.
Bhisho State House is the second building in the Province to be named after Diedericks, the first one being the Lillian Diedericks Municipal building in Gqeberha.
At the funeral, Premier met with Mamu Lillian's children, grand children and great grand children to give them support, share words of wisdom, and encouraged them to take over from where their mother left off.
Officiating Minister Rev Nicolette Leonard encouraged women to take over from where Aunty Lilly left off in fighting against gender based violence, "Lillian stepped up where other people refused to, I'm begging the communities of Gqeberha to pickup the baton from Lilly" she said. "Each one of us, do your little part in your corner to fight GBV, gangstarism and violence in our communities"
