Call to Action at the 20th Victoria and Griffiths Mxenge Memorial Lecture

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On a solemn evening at UKZN’s Howard College Theatre, the University hosted the 20^th Victoria and Griffiths Mxenge Memorial Lecture.

This annual event, organised by the School of Law, commemorates two towering figures in the struggle against apartheid, Victoria and Griffiths Mxenge, whose lives were cut short by the brutal forces of the regime.

The lecture, first delivered by Nelson Mandela in 1992, continues to inspire and challenge future generations to reflect on the state of justice in South Africa.

This year, the keynote speaker was Advocate Muzi Sikhakhane SC, a highly regarded Senior Counsel and founding member of the Victoria Mxenge Group of Advocates. His task was to not just reflect on the lives of the Mxenges, but also tackle the all-important question: “Transformation of the Legal Profession: Are We There Yet?”

His address, however, was more than a reflection on the law; it was a call to action challenging to the legal fraternity and society at large.

‘I never met Griffiths,’ Sikhakhane began, ‘but I worked with Victoria. She schooled us, selflessly, as a freedom fighter. These are the heroes we should honour, yet we don’t talk about them because we don’t know whether we have betrayed them.’

His words carried the weight of the room, as the audience comprised Law students, legal professionals and members of the public.

Sikhakhane painted a vivid picture of the sacrifices the Mxenges made, their blood spilled for the liberation. He urged those present to remember the true meaning of law not as an instrument of control or a system manipulated by those in power, but as a tool for justice. ‘Law without justice is nothing,’ he asserted ‘The Mxenges didn’t die making money. They didn’t die pretending to be smart. They died fighting for their people, and we must not betray them.’

Sikhakhane dissected the current state of the legal profession, lamenting its colonial foundations.

‘We are taught to see law through the eyes of those who found us, named us, de-educated us and miseducated us. Transformation is not just about changing faces in the legal profession, it’s about changing the very philosophy of the law itself,’ he said.

He recalled the painful history of Black lawyers in South Africa from the early days when Judge Ismail Mahomed had to practise Law in a toilet because of racial segregation to the more recent advances in representation, with more Black lawyers and female judges entering the profession. But despite the progress, Sikhakhane argued that transformation remained incomplete. ‘We have moved far in terms of numbers, but the essence of the law has not changed. Justice without equality is no different from slavery.’

For Sikhakhane, the problem is deeper than legal systems or laws. It is about identity and reclaiming the values that were lost through colonisation.

‘We are where we are politically because we have long left ourselves behind, running after things we don’t know, quoting philosophies we know nothing about. True liberation will come when we remember who we are,’ he said.

He called for the audience to imagine the anguish of the Mxenges, the cries of those who had fought so selflessly, but died violently. ‘If we do nothing now, this betrayal will continue. Your children and mine will suffer the consequences. We must confront our leaders, even if it makes us uncomfortable, and demand a state that truly serves its people.’

The Dean of UKZN’s School of Law, Professor Freddy Mnyongani, reflected on Sikhakhane’s powerful address. ‘He (Sikhakhane) touched on uncomfortable truths about our country, and I deeply appreciate that he didn’t shy away from the difficult details of how the Mxenges were taken from us. He truly honoured their legacy,’ he said.

The evening carried deep personal reflection for Ms Namhla Mxenge, the daughter of the Mxenges, who spoke about the dual emotion the province of KwaZulu-Natal evokes for her.

‘It’s a place where so much pain resides, where my parents met their end, but it’s also a place of love, where the community raised us after their deaths. I am grateful to the University for continuing to remember my parents and for giving Advocate Sikhakhane the space to honour them with such honesty,’ she said.

Sikhakhane’s lecture remained etched in the minds of the audience. He invoked the spirits of not just the Mxenges, but other freedom fighters such as Chris Hani, Robert Sobukwe and Solomon Mahlangu, urging the present generation to rise to the challenge and continue their legacy.

‘In remembrance of Victoria and Griffiths Mxenge, let us ask ourselves: What did they die for? What have we done? If we want their sacrifices not to be in vain, we must create a state that provides its people (with) security, healthcare and education for all. The blood of our heroes must not be forgotten,’ Sikhakhane concluded.

Words: NdabaOnline

Photographs: Sethu Dlamini