Struggle stalwart dies

MARTHA Ford, a well-known independence struggle activist, died in Rehoboth on Tuesday at the age of 69.

She was born in Rehoboth on October 16, 1937 as the second child of Hermanus and Elizabeth Beukes. She attended the Methodist Missionary Primary School and thereafter the Dr Lemmer High School in Rehoboth.After completing high school, she enrolled for a Bachelor of Commerce Degree at the University of Cape Town.She could not complete her studies because of financial reasons and took up employment in Cape Town.She later returned to Rehoboth where she joined the Volksparty as a political activist, which stood against South African colonialism and for the political independence of Namibia.She actively participated in the National Convention (convened by her father in 1970) and its successor, the Namibia National Convention, established in 1975.These bodies sought united action by the various national groups for self-determination.She also fought against the homeland policy of Rehoboth.She joined Swapo in the 1970s and became a member of its national executive.During this time she divorced from her husband and left the country in 1978 with her two youngest children, Winston and Shereen, to Lusaka, Zambia, via Angola, where she joined the Politburo of Swapo.She developed political problems with the leadership of Swapo and eventually left Swapo under the protection of the OMA, the women’s wing of the ruling MPLA party of Angola.During this time her 10-year-old son died in a camp in southern Angola and this was a blow she seemingly could not recover from.She remained in Angola and returned to Namibia on April 29, 2001.Her health condition deteriorated rapidly, probably due to neglected high blood pressure.Martha was a declared socialist and expressed herself against the continuation of colonial and capitalist enslavement of the Namibian people.The memorial service will be held tomorrow at 20h00 from her family home in Rehoboth.The funeral service will start at 11h00 at her home and conclude with a church service starting at 11h30 in the Methodist Church at the town.She attended the Methodist Missionary Primary School and thereafter the Dr Lemmer High School in Rehoboth.After completing high school, she enrolled for a Bachelor of Commerce Degree at the University of Cape Town.She could not complete her studies because of financial reasons and took up employment in Cape Town.She later returned to Rehoboth where she joined the Volksparty as a political activist, which stood against South African colonialism and for the political independence of Namibia.She actively participated in the National Convention (convened by her father in 1970) and its successor, the Namibia National Convention, established in 1975.These bodies sought united action by the various national groups for self-determination.She also fought against the homeland policy of Rehoboth.She joined Swapo in the 1970s and became a member of its national executive.During this time she divorced from her husband and left the country in 1978 with her two youngest children, Winston and Shereen, to Lusaka, Zambia, via Angola, where she joined the Politburo of Swapo.She developed political problems with the leadership of Swapo and eventually left Swapo under the protection of the OMA, the women’s wing of the ruling MPLA party of Angola.During this time her 10-year-old son died in a camp in southern Angola and this was a blow she seemingly could not recover from.She remained in Angola and returned to Namibia on April 29, 2001.Her health condition deteriorated rapidly, probably due to neglected high blood pressure.Martha was a declared socialist and expressed herself against the continuation of colonial and capitalist enslavement of the Namibian people.The memorial service will be held tomorrow at 20h00 from her family home in Rehoboth.The funeral service will start at 11h00 at her home and conclude with a church service starting at 11h30 in the Methodist Church at the town.

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