Dr Yusuf Dadoo was my compatriot and soul mate - nothing divided us in our commitment to the cause of South Africa's freedom - not religion, nor ideology and not ethnicity.

He was one of the most outstanding leaders in our movement remembered by all, in our country and by many beyond.  He inspired us. He was bafa begiya.1

Dr Yusuf Dadoo was my compatriot and soul mate - nothing divided us in our commitment to the cause of South Africa's freedom - not religion, nor ideology and not ethnicity.

He was one of the most outstanding leaders in our movement remembered by all, in our country and by many beyond.  He inspired us. He was bafa begiya.1

His contribution to the people's struggle was so highly valued that he remains today one of only three South Africans to be honoured with   the Isitwalandwe which was bestowed at the Congress of the People in 1955. The two other recipients were Chief Albert Luthuli and Father Trevor Huddleston.

Yusuf Dadoo's contribution to the struggle began in 1938 with the founding of the Non-European United Front in Johannesburg. Right from the outset, his vision took in the common degradation of disenfranchised South Africans and he focussed his attention on uniting all democrats into a single cohesive force against racism.  As early as 1940,  a square in Orlando was referred to as Dadoo Square, in recognition of his tough approach to colour discrimination.

Yusuf worked closely with Dr Xuma against the Pass Laws, and with Chief Luthuli in the Defiance of Unjust Laws Campaign; and he was a tower of strength to Oliver Tambo during all those years of exile.

At the time of his death, he headed the South African Communist Party, a party he joined in 1939. His prolific speeches and writings brought together in this volume, record his leadership on all fronts. We miss his leadership today as we plan to move South Africa into non-racial, non-sexist democracy.

Nelson Mandela

September 1991

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