DISRESPECTED: Dinilesizwe Sobukwe, son of PAC founder and struggle icon Robert Sobukwe, stands next to his father’s vandalised grave in Graaff-Reinet. Pictures: MARK ANDREWS

In the realm of South African politics – and the world – Pan Africanist  Congress (PAC) founder Robert  Sobukwe is a celebrated anti-apartheid struggle icon, reports Michael Kimberley.
A main source of inspiration behind  the Black Consciousness Movement,  Sobukwe died in 1978.
We met up with his son Dinilesizwe  on Wednesday . He is not a political  figure and enjoys a quiet life in the  small Karoo town of Graaff-Reinet .
Dressed casually in a blue striped  shirt and Levis, he said: “My father  would not be proud to see what is  happening to our country.
“ I think he would be shocked to see  what we have become.”
Dinilesizwe took us on a tour of the  farming town where his father was  born in 1924 and buried in 1978.
Speaking while driving through the  streets of Graaff-Reinet, he said: “We  have been taken over by greed … and  the blame is on the ANC because they  have their hands in the till.’’
Hearing his deep, lucid voice you  can understand why his father was  renowned for his ability to deliver  charismatic speeches.
The PAC founder’s son said the  ruling party could easily end corruption “if they really wanted to”.
Asked why corruption had rooted  itself so deeply in South Africa, he  said: “I am not sure. Maybe because  these people had nothing and now  anything they want is available.”
Dinilesizwe currently works as a  trustee for the Robert Sobukwe Trust.  We were shown Sobukwe’s local  church, school and grave.
The church and school, according to  Dinilesizwe, helped define the man  regarded as a towering pillar of black  nationalism in South Africa.
“He was a great man and most of his  beliefs and wisdom stem from his  schooling and church.”
Asked why he did not follow in his  father’s footsteps, he said: “Politics is  too rough and tough for my liking.”
Sobukwe often argued that Africans had to prove to themselves and  the world that they could stand on  their own feet. They had to gain self- respect.

Dinilesizwe Sobukwe. Picture: MARK ANDREWS

“He had his beliefs and people understood his reasoning. He was able to  back them up,” Dinilesizwe.
But he did not reserve his criticism  only for the ruling party.
“At the end of the day, anything is  better than apartheid. Life has gotten  better for many but I think we lack  direction … a vision for the future .”

On the topic of revolution, he believes South Africa will soon follow  Egypt and Libya. “How can we not?  The people, the ones that count, are  not benefiting from our democracy.  One day we will wake up and say  ‘enough is enough’.”

We were taken to Sobukwe’s grave  near the poorer area of Asherville. We  had to stop about 500m from the actual  site because the roads were in such  bad condition.
Sobukwe broke away from the ANC  in 1958 to form the PAC. The break  caused a deep rift within the ranks of  South Africa’s black nationalists.
Walking over graves to get nearer,  Dinilesizwe said: “Even in death my  father has to pay the price of leaving  the ANC. But then again, we never  expected more from them.”
Arriving at the grave we were  stunned to see its poor condition. It  has been severely vandalised. The  marble headstone has been smashed  to pieces. Only a painted poster bearing his name tells who the interred  remains belong to.
“The youth aren’t interested in history any more. But we are hoping to  start a management plan to better  educate them about the sanctuary of  grave sites,” he said.
One last word from Dinilesizwe before dropping him off in town: “Our  country is only looking at short-term  benefits. We need to take pride in  what we do to better ourselves for the  future.”