Programme Director, MEC Hlengiwe Mavimbela
Unkosikazi Lindsay Myeni;
Umndeni wakaMyeni nezihlobo;
Abangane bomfowethu uLindani Myeni;
Abaholi bendabuko, izimeya namakhansela;
Umqondisi-Jikelele wesifundazwe sethu, u Dr N Mkhize;
Abasebenzi bakahulumeni nezikhulu;
Abefundisi bethu;
Mphakathi waseSikhaleni namaphethelo;
Namuhla sizovalelisa kuLindani Sanele Myeni, insizwa ezalelwe yakhulela eSikhaleni, eMpangeni, yasishiya ngokukhulu ukuzuma nangesihluku esimangalisayo isigobe amadlangala eHawaii, kwelaseMelika.
ULindani usishiye sisalindele lukhulu kuyena njengesifundazwe neNingizimu Afrika yonke jikelele. Baqinisile abathi isitsha esihle kasidleli. Impela ubeyisitsha esihle uLindani, isitsha ebesimumethe ubuhlakani, ukuhlonipha nokuzithoba okuyisimangaliso.
Sezizodlelaphi njengoba lesi sitsha esihle esesiphahlazile amaphoyisa anesihluku?
Baqinisile abathi umhlaba kawunoni.
Namhlanje sizothi dudu emndenini, sithi alwehlanga lungehliyo, uJehova uphile, uJehova uthathile, ngakhoke malibongwe lidunyiswe igama likaJehova noma kubuhlungu.
Yize izinhliziyo zethu ziqaqamba ngenxa yeminjunju yokushiywa nguLindani, siyabonga ukuthi isifiso sikaNkosikazi Lindsay Myeni nezihlobo sokuthi ithambo likaLindani lifihlwe lapho inkaba yakhe ikhona, sigcine sifezekile.
ULindsay ubebiza uLindani ngoMntwana wasoBombo ngenxa yokuthi umufi ubewukhonzile umlando oqhakambisa imvelaphi. Kungaleso sikhathi lapho uLindani athola khona ukuthi unegazi lasebukhosini. Sengathi inganda intsha enentshisekelo yomlando njengoLindani, ingathi ngoba seyiphumelele noma seyidumile bese ikhohlwa ngumlando nangamasiko ayo.
Ukubulawa kukaLindani kudunge umoya wokujabula obuheleza ngesikhathi abantu bakuleli belungiselela ukujabulela iminyaka engu-27 yenkululeko baphuma ebugqileni nokucindezelwa nguhulumeni wobandlululo.
Kukubi kunjalo, siyabonga ukuthi ukubulawa kukaLindani ngamaphoyisa aseHonolulu, kuzamazamise umhlaba kwahlanganisa izinhlanga nezizwe ezahlukene zavumelana ngazwi linye ngokugxeka isihluku nonya lwamaphoyisa ambulale engahlomile.
Phambi kwethu kulele iqhawe ebelihlome ngenhlonipho, imfundo, ukuzithoba nokwazisa abantu ngale kokubandlulula ngokwebala, ngokwemfundo nangesimo senhlalo.
Abathathe umphefumulo weqhawe lethu bambize ngendlavini ethanda udlame. Lutho, abamazi ngempela uLindani. Abamaziyo bambiza ngenxusa loxolo, uthando nokuthula.
Labo abafisa ukumgcona bamfanise nesigelekeqe abasoze baphumelela ngamampunge nenkohliso. Wake walibonaphi ivulandlela eliyisigelekeqe?
Angaba kanjani yisigelekeqe uLindani njengoba ebengumuntu ozwelana nabantu abampofu nabadla imbuya ngothi?
Ubengaba kanjani yisigelekeqe umuntu okhonze intuthuko nenqubekela phambili, umuntu ozihloniphayo nohlonipha isithunzi sabanye abantu?
Fellow Mourners, a wise man once said that in times of peace, children bury their parents but in times of war, parents bury their children. Today we are gathered here to pay our last respects to Lindani, a victim of a racist inspired war, which threatens to rage like an inferno, if not extinguished on time.
All the evidence is out there that since the traumatic days of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, black people have been treated as soulless subhuman beings who could be lynched and murdered with reckless abandon.
The movement of Black Lives Matter in the 21st century demonstrates that America still has a long way to eradicate anti-black racism and the wanton murder of black people at the hands of white police officials.
We know Lindani as a sports ambassador who took South Africa to the world. Our first democratic president uTata uMadiba, might have had uLindani on his mind when uttered this quotable quote about the importance of sports:
"Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire, it has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope, where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers. It laughs in the face of all types of discrimination."
It is through sport that Lindani broke racial barriers and made friends from different racial backgrounds. Lindani’s love for people transcended racial barricades. Lindani built bridges of friendship, unity and social cohesion which will remain as his legacy.
As a province and a peace-loving nation, we are devastated and shattered that this peace ambassador has been taken away from us at such a young, ripe age. Lindani was poles apart with hostility. But sadly, this man of peace had to lose his life in such a violent manner.
The good that Lindani displayed across the world will definitely live after him. He was a fragrant scent which spread sweetness to all who came in contact with him.
As we lay Lindani to rest today, we promise that we shall never rest on our laurels until those who killed him are brought to book. Justice must be served, his death must not become a statistic, it should never be in vain.
To Lindani’s family we pray that you are comforted and heal. Thank you once more for raising a humble, caring son who represented us well globally.
To Mrs Lindsay Myeni and your beautiful children, Africa and KwaZulu-Natal will always be home.
To the whole Myeni family, his in-laws the Andersons, and his friends across the globe, our presence here today is to comfort and console you.
Please find solace that your bereavement is ours to share.
In closing, we leave you with the words of comfort from Ecclesiastes 3 verses 1-8 which read as follows:
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
May this be a time for healing, closure, and peace!
As we bid our final farewell to Lindani, we collectively say fare thee well, son of the African soil, ndodana yethu kwelika Mthaniya.
Hamba kahle Mdolomba, Mnguni wasenhla!
Uyibekile induku ebandla.
Ngiyabonga!