SA Post Office
Government has honoured well-known legends Hugh Masekela, Dr Phillip Tabane and Professor Willie Keorapetse Kgositsile with postage stamps.
The three were honoured for the role they played during apartheid.
The decision to honour them was approved by Cabinet in 2018.
The postage stamp is often referred to as the country’s smallest ambassador. It is befitting therefore that the SA Post Office honours three remarkable men whose words and music left an imprint all over the continent and the world.
Masekela was an award-winning jazz maestro, who also went into exile before returning to South Africa when political parties were unbanned.
He is known as the Father of South African jazz, with 40 albums under his name. He succumbed to cancer in 2018.
Tabane is a renowned vocalist, jazz guitarist and bandleader. He died at the age of 84 in 2018.
Kgositsile, who also passed away in 2018, was a journalist turned author. He was a renowned poet and teacher, whose dedication to politics led him to establish the African National Congress’ Department of Education and Department of Arts and Culture.
Speaking during the commemorative launch on Tuesday, Communications and Digital Technologies Minister, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, said stamps travel across the world in the global postal network and also serves as a nation builder and educational tool.
She said stamps also attract huge interest for collectors, and what is portrayed becomes very critical and serves as a revenue-generating source for the Post Office.
The stamps were designed by Thea Clemons.
