Struggle as volition, as free will Maria van Driel, soulmate and life partner Oupa Lehulere, has been my soulmate, my best friend and my comrade. We shared the belief since our youth that the working class will rise and rebuild society; and that capitalism would not determine our lives and how we responded to the…

Oupa Lehulere was born in Cape Town in 1960. After primary school he went to Fezeka High School in Gugulethu. Fezeka High School had a history of political activism, with many senior students active in Black Consciousness-inspired student organisations. Oupa’s first introduction to resistance politics was the introduction of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction…

For Oupa. By Jonathan de Vries, an old friend and comrade A few weeks ago I stood next to Oupa’s body at that rousing send-off of a funeral.  Just over a week before that we had been in whatsapp communication making plans for things to do when he got out of hospital. It was a very emotional…

Some Reflections On My Encounters With Oupa Lehulere By Shepi Mati,* a life-long friend and comrade * Shepi was the third President of the Congress of South African Students (COSAS). I speak here as one of Oupa’s friends. And I speak about how we met and worked together. And most importantly the kinds of conditions…

Oupa will be sorely missed By Ian van Driel Firstly, I wish to express my condolences to the Lehulere family, to Maria and Searatoa, to the Staff of Khanya College and to all Oupa’s comrades and friends. Today is a sad day, as we are bidding goodbye to a partner, a father, a brother, an…

By Searatoa van Driel Dumelang! Hi everybody, thank you I want to start where my mother ended and start with gratitude, the gratitude we feel for all the people who have been there for us in this difficult time and also before, when my father fell ill. The greater gratitude that we feel I think,…

Oupa Lehulere: A revolutionist for the ages By Ighsaan Schroeder, a comrade Friends, family of different kinds and comrades: This past Monday morning Oupa lay on his bed with the most remarkable smile on his face. The smile radiated serenity and a great tenderness. In the 40 years of knowing him, 17 of those being…

A poem for Oupa Phoenix must rise … … … must rise , o ye rise from the ash heaps of apartheid and colonialism. Rise from the pain and suffering of yesteryear: Rise the pain of “Group areas” AND Force Removals, removals and trauma of Cato Manor, Vitas, but also District Six, the Northern areas…