The community of Lavender Hill are in mourning after renowned housing activist and struggle stalwart Howard Soetwater suddenly passed away.
He died last Wednesday evening while celebrating with fellow comrades in Retreat after he had voted for the last time for the party that had been his political home his whole life, the ANC.
Soetwater, 56, will be remembered for his role in the struggle for housing for the poor and marginalised in the southern suburbs of Cape Town.
In the 1990s, he and comrades in Lavender Hill, mostly women, organised themselves under the Lavender Hill Civic Association and fought for houses, which culminated in the development of the Hillview community.
In the early 2000s he organised backyarders to fight for houses, which led to the establishment of Cuba Heights.
According to his sister, Dorothy the passing of her brother came as a shock, as he wasn’t ill.
Dorothy says: “He was still fine in the morning when he left the house to vote, but we got the call around 8.30pm when one of the comrades phoned to say he was sick and I said they should phone the ambulance.
“According to my understanding the ambulance came and tried CPR for an hour, but by the time we got there he was dead already. We suspect it was a heart attack.
“It is an incredible loss. He was selfless and never wanted honour because his heart was always for the community. I told him recently that he needs to relax now and he said ‘no’, he must first see that people get their houses.”
In his youth, Soetwater stoned vehicles, burned tyres and engaged in militant activities in the fight against apartheid. He joined organisations like the Cape Youth Congress, Congress of South African Students and the United Democratic Front, and linked with other organisations such as the New World Foundation and Housing Action Committee in the struggle.
ANC provincial spokesperson, Khalid Sayed, says: ”The African National Congress in the Western Cape tips its revolutionary flag of the passing of a veteran activist, a servant leader.
“We extend our condolences to his family, his friends, loved ones and all his comrades.”
Howard’s funeral will take place on Saturday at 8am, at Algemene Christelike Kerk, Eltister Road, Lavender Hill.
marsha.dean@inl.co.za