Friends:

I found this obituary of Zimbabwe's Judge Washington Sansole very touching: his
struggle for an education ( as the text below says, "at the peak of white suptremacy
in Southern Africa"), his efforts to help others and to bring justice to Zimbabwe,
his kindnesses to others -- all of which were returned to him in small ways, such
as the calls for "air" and help, prisoner-to-prisoner, during his time in jail
most recently. This moment above all others tells us of the true life of this
kind man.

Jack Shepherd



Message -----
From: Trudy Stevenson
To: Undisclosed-Recipient:;
Sent: Sunday, June 14, 2009 5:02 PM
Subject: [Grouppet] Sansole: a Tribute to a Great Man

Zim Standard
Sansole: a Tribute to a Great Man



Saturday, 13 June 2009 14:22
EGA Washington Sansole, born in Marondera, Zimbabwe, on September 29, 1942 was
named after Booker T Washington whom his father Josias Ndozwi Sansole, linguist,
court interpreter and business man, admired for having achieved so much despite
a background of slavery.
He was educated at the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland, now Roma,
and, at the peak of white supremacy in Southern Africa, King?s College London
and Gray?s Inn London.

Returning to his country at the height of activity against the illegal Rhodesian
Front regime he embarked whole heartedly on his life?s work of resolutely seeking
justice for the poor, the oppressed, the traduced and the victimised.

Joining Lazarus & Sarif in Bulawayo, before founding his own firm of Sansole &
Senda, he ceaselessly travelled the dangerous roads of war depending on children
along the way to indicate where the imbamba yila/sweet potatoes/land mines were
concealed, risking his own life to try, most often successfully, to rescue others
in remote places from prison, torture or worse.

Post Zimbabwe?s attainment of Independence he served for some years as a judge
of the High Court. Having been taught the profound lesson by his father of regarding
all people as innately good and deserving of respect, he banned the use of handcuffs
or shackles on anyone, however dangerous the accused was regarded, appearing before
him. From then on, for all the years during and after he had left the Bench, he
was affectionately called ?the judge? throughout the land.

An astute business man, he served on the boards of many companies including United
Refineries, Delta, Zimnat, Blue Ribbon, Wankie Colliery and Associated Newspapers
of Zimbabwe.  

He also became Chairman of Council for the National University of Science and
Technology, and the Railway Employment Council. He was an esteemed arbitrator
whose services were sought at all levels, academic, business, union, parastatal,
and he was eventually appointed a Trustee for the Centre for Peace Initiatives
in Africa.
The wilful destruction of Zimbabwe by those in power from 1980 was painfully intolerable
and he would quietly shake his head, reflectively asking: ?How is it possible
that we allowed this?? But his colleagues in the brave, short-lived opposition
Forum Party remember that he ?put so much of his huge personality and his gravitas,
his fine intelligence and his good humour? into trying precisely, with them, to
stop the harm being done to his country. 
His efforts were noted and punished and he was quietly removed from many boards,
starting with Delta.
There were also unsuccessful attempts by the state to humiliate him and twice,
once as Director of Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe, publishers of the eventually
banned Daily News, and the other as Director of United Refineries, he was arrested
and kept barefoot overnight by police in Bulawayo.
Released from a night spent in an overcrowded police cell he said, typically,
that he had nothing to complain about.  Laughing, for he was a humble man, he
described how well he had been treated by his fellow prisoners and how they had
called to each other over his head:

?Make more room for the judge!?  ?Make space by the air for the judge!?  ?Be
quiet! The judge is wanting to sleep!?

His death in South Africa on Monday, June 8,  2009 following an accident the
day before, is heart-breaking for his family, his colleagues and friends, for
all the many who respected and loved him and for those unknown numbers whose lives
he quietly helped to keep ticking along. He leaves Bapsie, his beloved wife of
40 years, his children and his grandchildren to whom a friend wrote: ?May the
Almighty Lord comfort all those he loved and cared about.?

Another sent words of consolation and precious, rare in Zimbabwe, inclusion ?.
. . he is now in the arms of the Lord where he will be safe and appreciated.?
 

A contemporary of his sons from Bulawayo?s Falcon College emailed them: ?He had
a good innings, your father. I would even go so far as to say he hit a few un-catch-able
sixes at the crease.?  
Finally, and comprehensively, the writer Elinor Sisulu summed up everything about
Ega Washington Sansole  in four words: What a great man.
BY JUDITH TODD



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