St Georges Cathedral Cape Town
August 8 2011
Dear Margaret
Every day for the last month I've been expecting a phone call to say that you had gone. Now it is true you have breathed your last. Now finally you are at peace.
The fight is over, the battle won. Your suffering has come to an end – this last year was a very hard one for you to bear and yet bear it you did - wryly suggesting to me that 3 score years and 10 was actually quite enough.
It has not been easy either for all those who loved you, to watch you waste away – until towards the end you looked as if a feather would knock you down.
Watching you die slowly was extremely hard especially for you but even for those of us who were the witnesses. Nevertheless there were some redeeming features. One of them was that many people across the world who love and admire you were able to send messages and come to visit you.
Of special significance to you was the validation and acknowledgement given to you by leaders of the Christian community in general, and the Anglican Church in particular, who came to see you in hospital.
In the last year once you knew that this was truly the last chapter of your life you were determined to continue to lead a full life. You told me just how helpful your dear friend Dr Florrie has been, often herself being the one to take you on wonderful outings - together with that close circle of marvellous women who have been your friends for decades.
You were so appreciative of how Allan Taylor, supported by his wife Viviene helped you to get your affairs in order.
Quite a long time ago you asked me if I would lead your memorial service once your time on earth was over. I worried that I might be very far away as I often am, and not able to fulfil your last requests.
Dear Margaret
Today I am happy to report to you that I and all of us here in this great cathedral are fulfilling your last requests but even more importantly we are here to give thanks to God for, and celebrate your remarkable life.
I have to tell you now that you were the 1st person ever to invite me to a committee meeting to organise their own funeral and a memorial service. Nevertheless we did all turn up because of our love and respect for you and all that you achieved in the life that was given to you.
Certainly by the time that the end came, you were ready to go – if at times a little impatient that it was taking so long
You were very keen that this service would reflect your deepest beliefs. Because you lived your life as a disciple of Jesus Christ you wanted to have a service that would reflect your Christian beliefs. But at the same time you were anxious that people of other faiths and indeed of no religious faith would feel deeply welcomed and be full participants at your final farewell.
I often felt that you were tormented by the unfairness of the privilege which came from having a white skin. In practice it has meant a life lived fighting for justice especially for those racially oppressed and condemned to lives of grinding poverty.
You used your great intellect in the service of liberation for all of South Africa's people. Way back in the 1970s most of what I learnt about forced removals came from you. You embodied the letter of James that faith without action is meaningless.
Generations across the globe have admired your commitment to the ecumenical movement both in South Africa and internationally since your earliest involvement with the Student Christian Movement
Your old friends, Lutheran Bishop Barbel Wartenberg Potter and Dr Philip Potter who I spoke to yesterday said they will be with us in spirit today.
Young Christian activists continued to see you as a role model for their own activism not least in the Anglican student Federation.
Thank you for your support for the End Conscription campaign and individuals like Peter Moll and Dr Ivan Toms.
All those who have spoken bear witness to the breadth of your ongoing practical commitment to transforming our society.
At your special request the Bethesda Zion Apostolic Choir is here from New Crossroads. You hoped that this final service would indeed be as inclusive as possible both reflecting the rainbow nation, the ecumenical family and an interfaith vision for a peaceful future for humanity.
Thank you Margaret for being such a faithful friend for more than 35 years.
Thank you for your generosity and support for me personally as well as for the work of the Institute for Healing of memories.
Like all good friends do, many of us loved you warts and all. Some of your less diplomatic remarks have already become legendary at our dinner tables. Like when I proudly showed you the new grass which had just been planted at my home Your immediate and only response was that it was the wrong kind of grass and that I should not have planted it. Recalling your unwavering punctuality, now that you have gone it will be strange to have parties with no one coming on time.
We shall miss your legendary Christmas letter with their crossings out, sharp analysis and asterisks.
It is true that you became disillusioned with the direction taken in recent time by the ANC because of how much you love this country. To the very end you were committed to justice for all. Probably if you had been younger, you would have made a wonderful public protector if not the leader of the asset forfeiture unit.
Many of us have experienced your heartfelt compassion. How moved I was that even as you lay dying yourself, you wanted Kader’s wife, Louise, to know that you were thinking of her.
Each of us here today has a story to tell about how you impacted on our lives.
Today dear Margaret this nation salutes you for all you have given us throughout your long life.
In your lifetime you were honoured with the order of the DISA by the Western Cape and more recently for your contribution to the United Democratic Front.
For our part we pledge ourselves to do more to make South Africa the land of our dreams for all her people.
How appropriate that we should make this farewell on the eve of Women's Day. You have struck a woman you have struck a rock certainly applied to you.
Margaret, You will be in our hearts for ever – Go well dear sister - may you rest in peace.
