As we gather here today to reflect on the passing of an unfortunate soul and tragic enigma of our collective South African history, very few words can adequately capture the impact of this his actions and ideas on countless South Africans throughout the span of his public and private life.
Eugene was an anachronism, not as much misunderstood as having misunderstood the time and context in which he was so unfortunately born and raised. It would not be too far-fetched to contend that Eugene would have been far better suited and a much happier child had he been born in Nazi Germany or Fascist Italy, the burden of this mismatch haunted Eugene throughout his natural life and was subject to constant scrutiny in the media.
A better public persona could not be invented for such a social mismatch and societal misfit — affectionately labeled ET — Eugene’s continued contribution to a post-apartheid South Africa was out of this world and some would even say not suited for this world.
Eugene, in his last days, had to carry the unfair burden of living in a post-apartheid South Africa so far removed from the ideals of his childhood and life as a younger and ageing man. Having to endure altogether foreign ideas of integration, black empowerment and the unfair burden of equality, Eugene never really managed to fully embrace the new South Africa.
Yet, throughout all this toil and suffering, ET never fell off his moral high horse and held fast through turbulent and challenging times. Holding true to his questioned ideals, even to his last days, Eugene insisted on paying his eventual murderers R300 a month, in his mind, a fitting R10 a day.
His legacy and impact on South Africa is also poignantly demonstrated by the actions of those who eventually released him from the burden of this new and foreign South Africa. His legacy, that impacted so many black South Africans — and misguided white Afrikaners — shall forever be recorded in the history books.
Eugene instilled fear in those around him, a man that, with his thunderous voice, forced his way and point across. So much so that his eventual murderers waited for the police to arrive to lament and show remorse for their deeds. Indeed, Eugene, even in death, made sure that he was not forgotten as the bastion of the far right.
In closing, let it be remembered that the passing of this unfortunate soul and his twisted legacy shall forever haunt this country, lest we forget where we come from and what needs to be changed in order to truly realise the ideals of our post-apartheid dispensation.
I believe that ET’s one and only regret would be his inability to meet with Julius Malema before his passing, an equally maladjusted anachronism with whom he would have indubitably had long and meaningful conversations about the state of our society and the demands of the future of the republic.
And even though my isiZulu is a bit rusty, I believe the appropriate words to salute a man of this stature would be: uyahamba inja. Lala kahle ibhunu
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