Inaugural Speech and Debate for Sathish Jaggernath

Marlan Padayachee To Open Community Inaugural Speech and Debate In Honour of Sathish Jaggernath, Former Media Consultant to Premier Sbu Ndebele and Newspaper Columnist and Socio Political Commentator
KWAZULU-Natal Premier Sbu Ndebele’s former media consultant and speechwriter Sathish Jaggernath will be recognised for his contribution to the new South Africa at an inaugural speech and debate named in his memory at the Merebank High School in Merebank on Wednesday, 27 August at 5.30pm.
Jaggernath died tragically in air crash near Pietermaritzburg almost eight years ago when a chartered aircraft, bringing Department of Transport officials from a workshop in Gauteng, crashed into a hill near Pietermaritzburg. He worked as a media consultant for then Transport MEC Ndebele who later became the provincial premier.
His close colleague and friend Marlan Padayachee will deliver the introductory remarks about the former librarian, teacher’s union secretary-general, researcher, writer and debater at the event hosted by the Krishna Rabilal Foundation, which is named in memory of an ANC cadre who was killed by the SADF in Mozambique in the 1980s.
Learners from Merebank, Umlazi and Wentworth will engage each in a debate about Jaggernath and how they can acquire skills to contribute to a better social order and develop into responsible citizens while learning the art of talking and listening as powerful tools against the scourge of violence and crime.
“We have named the event in memory of one of Merebank’s most outstanding activists for freedom, democracy, human rights and free speech and the foundation felt that another anti-apartheid and media activist Marlan Padayachee would be the most appropriate personality to launch the debate as both activists worked closely with each during a very difficult period in their careers,” said Pops Rampersad, Deputy Chairman of the Krishna Rabilal Foundation, whose patrons include Pravin Gordhan (SARS Commissioner); Roy Padayachie (Deputy Minister of Communications); Logie Naidoo (eThekwini Deputy Mayor); Ms Beatrice Ngcobo (MP); Dr Michael Sutcliffe (eThekwini Municipality City Manager); Eric Apelgren (eThekwini Municipality Head: International and Government Relations); Bishop Reuben Phillips; Professor Jerry Coovadia, Poobie Naicker (former SADTU Deputy President) and several other prominent people.
Issued by the Krish Rabilal Foundation on August 25, 2008