ANC pays tribute to former councillor

THE ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has paid tribute to the late Inba Naidoo, a Struggle stalwart who once served as a councillor in the eThekwini Municipality but later returned to teaching.

Naidoo, whose past work included resisting the apartheid government under the banner of the ANC and Natal Indian Congress, died over the weekend.

The ANC said it was in awe of Naidoo’s ability to pursue his love for teaching while at the same time doing community work.

“Comrade Inba always worked as part of a collective, building from the ground up. The Phoenix working committee which mounted one of the most fierce challenges to the apartheid Durban city council records him as having played a powerful role in organising and mobilising that community.

“But it was from his base in Newlands West that Comrade Inba left the deepest imprint. He worked tirelessly there to create a non-racial community welded by a deep sense of social cohesion. It came as no surprise, then, when he was elected as a councillor of the ANC in the first democratic local government elections.

“He was relentless in improving the quality of housing and local facilities especially sports. His deepest passion lay in science and maths education and food security.

“Cadre Inba had an uncanny ability to mobilise resources from both individuals and foundations for his community work.

“After serving a long deployment as a senior ANC councillor, he returned to teaching. He devoted his attention to both the classroom and his trade union work in Sadtu (the SA Democratic Teachers Union),” the ANC said in its tribute.

Former speaker for eThekwini municipality, Logie Naidoo posted a tribute on his Facebook page.

He described Naidoo as an outstanding comrade who was totally committed to the freedom struggle.

“With absolute conviction from the late ’70s, he involved himself in many community struggles right up to the onset of democracy in 1994. The NIC, UDF, ANC were his home and he served as a councillor with distinction for the Newlands community. An educator of note, he committed himself to improving the lot of learners, particularly in Mathematics. RIP Cadre of our movement. Hambe Kahle Comrade Inba.”

Naidoo’s funeral took place yesterday in Durban.