Media Statements

The African National Congress (ANC) pauses with solemn pride today to honour the life and revolutionary legacy of one of the greatest architects of South Africa’s liberation, Isithalandwe/Seaparankwe Comrade Walter Max Ulyate Sisulu. A leader of towering humility and uncompromising discipline, Cde Sisulu’s life represents the very essence of what it means to be a servant of the people. From the dusty streets of Johannesburg to the halls of Robben Island, from underground activism to the heights of leadership as ANC Deputy President, his contribution to the struggle for freedom is immeasurable and enduring.

Cde Sisulu was not simply a leader — he was a builder. A builder of movements, of institutions, of character, and of revolutionary consciousness. He played a pivotal role in the formation of the ANC Youth League, served with distinction as ANC Secretary General, and stood at the forefront of mass campaigns including the Defiance Campaign and the Treason Trial.

As Political Commissar and member of the High Command of Umkhonto weSizwe, he instilled political education, discipline, and clarity of mission in a generation of combatants. On Robben Island, he was not broken — he taught, he guided, and he continued to lead. His life’s work stands as a testament to a principled struggle, strategic clarity, and the enduring strength of collective leadership. He was a unifier and a strategist, a revolutionary internationalist who understood that our freedom was bound up with the struggles of the oppressed peoples of the world. Throughout his life, Comrade Sisulu’s revolutionary clarity was matched only by his deep humanity.

His life reminds us that revolution is a long, hard road requiring strategic thinking, unity of purpose, and tireless commitment to the masses. His leadership was never about seeking applause — it was about forging paths where none existed, and standing firm when others faltered. As we commemorate his legacy today, we are also reminded of the words of his comrade and ideological ally, Anton Lembede, who called him “a revolutionary married to the nation.” He lived for the people, and his legacy belongs to every South African who dares to dream of justice and dignity.

May his revolutionary spirit continue to guide us. May his name be remembered in struggle songs, in classrooms, in communities, and in the hearts of the people.

END//