Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu has called on African leaders to honour the legacy of former Mozambican president Samora Machel by fighting poverty, creating jobs and improving the lives of ordinary people.
Ndlovu was speaking at the Samora Machel Monument and Museum in Mbuzini on Monday, October 19, during commemorations marking 40 years since the air disaster that claimed the lives of Machel and 34 others on October 19, 1986.
The event was attended by Mozambican President Daniel Chapo, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Angie Motshekga, and members of the Machel family, led by Graça Machel, among other dignitaries.
The commemoration was jointly hosted by the governments of South Africa and Mozambique, reaffirming the longstanding ties of friendship and solidarity between the neighbouring countries.
Ndlovu said the tragedy remained one of the most painful chapters in Southern Africa’s liberation history, while the memorial served as a reminder of the sacrifices made in the pursuit of freedom and justice.
He said the most meaningful tribute to Machel and his generation of liberation leaders was to address the challenges that continue to affect communities across the region.
“We must honour their legacy by fighting poverty, creating employment opportunities, improving access to quality education and healthcare, and ensuring that our people live with dignity,” he said.
The commemorations also highlighted Mozambique’s contribution to South Africa’s liberation struggle and the political, economic and human costs borne by countries that opposed apartheid.
Machel, a founding leader of independent Mozambique and a committed Pan-Africanist, was remembered for his dedication to freedom, human dignity and regional peace. He was returning from a regional summit focused on peace, stability and development when his aircraft crashed at Mbuzini.
The memorial was unveiled in 1999 by former president Nelson Mandela, fulfilling a pledge to honour Machel and those who died alongside him.
Speakers also emphasised that political liberation remained incomplete while unemployment, poverty and inequality continued to undermine people’s dignity.
They called for stronger regional integration, increased trade and investment, industrial development, food security and improved opportunities for young people.
The gathering further renewed calls for peace, stability, gender equality and respect for human rights across Southern Africa.
Forty years after the tragedy, the message was clear: preserving Machel’s legacy requires more than remembrance. It demands practical action towards building a united, peaceful and prosperous Africa where all people can live with dignity.
