Sunday Times E-Edition

Tribute to John Wills, a human of the highest order

By ZWELI MKHIZE Mkhize is an ANC member and former health minister

We could have buried John Wills in the 1980s or 1990s. He could have died at the hands of apartheid agents as was usual during those dark days.

He could have been assassinated by cowardly hit squads without facing his assailants in the tragic way comrade Reggie Radebe was ambushed when he believed he had accomplished a peace mission in Ixopo.

He could have bravely faced his assassins and fobbed them off like

Griffiths Mlungisi Mxenge and left them defeated even though they lived and he died. Or, like Victoria Mxenge, who died at the hands of vigilantes baying for the blood of those who condemned apartheid.

Wills could have disappeared without trace, as happened to Umkhonto we Sizwe commanders Lloyd Zakhele Ndaba and Mbuso Tshabalala, whose bodies have never been found.

Wills could have been mysteriously assassinated in the way apartheid eliminated Neil Aggett and Rick Turner because though they were unarmed, their spirit of resistance was more powerful than the brutality of the apartheid system.

This is what Wills survived to reach this day, when his mortal remains will be laid to rest in a democratic South Africa that he fought for his entire life. Wills and those patriots who fell during apartheid are the heroes of our struggle that children of South Africa must learn about so they can appreciate what it took to uproot the system of minority rule that divided them across colour lines.

Wills could, like many descendants of the colonialists, have retreated to the laager of privilege and claimed not to have known that apartheid existed.

He could have joined the ranks of the white South African youth in the apartheid security forces who were indoctrinated to hate their fellow beings and armed to viciously and brutally eliminate their countrymen inside and outside the borders of this land for daring to dream of a nonracial, free and democratic country.

Wills’s name will go into our history alongside those who dedicated their lives to the noble cause of uplifting humanity, dismantling apartheid and ushering in democracy.

His death in a traffic accident is a grim reminder of the carnage that happens on our roads.

Wills’s contribution to our society goes back to the days of apartheid and statesponsored political violence. He would be called upon to confront the brutality of the police and warlords, to bring justice to communities in far-flung and remote areas, to stop brutal assaults, murders and intimidation in Empangeni, Ulundi, Pietermaritzburg, Richmond, Ixopo, Bulwer, Newcastle and Ladysmith.

He served as a peacemaker, a mediator, a community support system and a defence lawyer, often being the only protection for victimised communities. Families whose members were secretly detained by the Special Branch and those who mysteriously disappeared knew Wills would leave no stone unturned to uncover the truth of their whereabouts and expose the perpetrators of these ghastly deeds.

He travelled alone in violence-torn nogo zones and fearlessly confronted police, irrespective of rank.

He was as courageous as an activist as he was brilliant and incisive as a lawyer and dismissed state lies with facts and sound legal arguments based on thorough scientific investigation.

He was a seasoned advocate for human rights who could handle with ease any situation whether it required street law, constitutional law or criminal legal angles. His clients would always remain in awe of his flexibility and legal acumen based on his experience and maturity. He was a committed cadre of the ANC whose name

was synonymous with justice and the fight against oppressive laws.

Wills feared no-one, but respected and related to all with humility and professionalism. He was respected by his legal colleagues as a formidable and vicious legal opponent in court. What made Wills stand out was not only his deep understanding of the law and the logic of his persuasive presentation to the judges, but the passion with which he fought for justice. Wills was a champion of justice for the marginalised. I know this because as leaders in the regional leadership we referred people knowing that neither they nor the ANC had the resources to procure his legal services.

He rescued many activists from lynch mobs, vigilantes and third force hit squads. He would sometimes tell of gory experiences when he encountered butchered corpses and brutally assaulted detainees — for whom he had to move urgent court applications to rescue them from torture. I recall an incident in Ulundi that he recounted with deep pain and anger: despite everything he had done to save two activists, they were executed inside a police van in the presence of senior political leaders.

For most of my career I have relied on his superb legal skills on legal matters, be they private or official; and I’ve never set a foot wrong. Wills, being a very patient listener, was always transparent in his management of cases and had the ability to simplify his legal strategy for laymen to appreciate his approach.

He was friendly and warm and a pleasure to converse with as he was knowledgeable on a variety of subjects.

Wills always harboured a dream to serve in the public service before he retired from his legal career. He wanted to serve in the government which he was instrumental in establishing. It was a pleasure to have him as the legal adviser in the office of the premier during my tenure; a service that was valued by several of my successors and colleagues.

We spent hours discussing service delivery, eradication of poverty, preventing and fighting corruption, constitutional rights and administrative law, with Wills coaching me on how to deal with issues of the Judicial Service Commission on the selection of judges. He convinced me that law was simpler and more logical than medicine.

Wills was devoted to his family and brought up his children to grow into mature and independent adults. He always spoke with love and fondness about them.

As an African hero, Wills will never die. His spirit will always be with us especially during the times of our challenges.

What I learnt from him is that riches may not be measured by bank accounts, fleets of cars or huge mansions; real

He was a peacemaker, a mediator, a community support system and a defence lawyer

wealth lies in touching the lives of fellow citizens and making their stay on this earth more bearable.

Wills has monuments built in the good memories that lie buried in our hearts and minds and the collective memory of our struggle for freedom.

We need the commitment of true leaders to save South Africa and make it a land of our dreams that will bring coming generations equality, peace and unity.

We convey our deepest condolences to the Wills family, his friends, comrades and colleagues.

I admired many things about him but there is one thing I could not abide — I fear riding a motorbike, which was his passion.

We wish the family the comfort of knowing that the ANC dips its banner to salute our hero, as colleagues in the private sector, the public service and as comrades in the movement.

As the Mkhize family, we all share in your grief.

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2023-03-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-03-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

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