Advocate Philemon Pearce Dumalisile “Duma” Nokwe was laid to rest today, May 17, at West Park Cemetery in Johannesburg, alongside his late wife, Vuyiswa Malangabi-Nokwe, who passed away in 2008.
His reburial followed a Special Provincial Official Funeral held at the Walter Sisulu Hall in Randburg, attended by President Cyril Ramaphosa, former President Thabo Mbeki, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, and other dignitaries.
In his eulogy, President Ramaphosa hailed Nokwe as a towering figure in South Africa’s liberation struggle a human rights lawyer, a trailblazer, and a lifelong freedom fighter. Nokwe made history in 1956 as the first African advocate admitted to the Supreme Court of the Transvaal. He served as the ANC’s Secretary-General from 1958 to 1969 and was part of the legal team that defended anti-apartheid activists in the landmark Treason Trial.
Forced into exile in 1963, Nokwe continued the struggle from abroad until his death in Lusaka, Zambia, in 1978 at the age of 50. His remains were repatriated to South Africa in 2024, bringing long-awaited closure to his family.
President Ramaphosa also announced the posthumous conferral of Senior Counsel (Silk) status on Nokwe, declared on May 16, 2025 a symbolic yet powerful gesture correcting historical injustices and recognizing Nokwe’s significant contributions to the legal profession.
A poignant moment during exhumation revealed that Nokwe was buried with an ANC scarf, a potent symbol of his unwavering dedication to the liberation movement.
Today’s ceremony marked a solemn yet celebratory homecoming for a hero who gave his life for South Africa’s freedom.