Enver Surty’s journey from this rural farmland to the corridors of power, marking the dawn of democracy, is a profound tale of dedication and commitment to human rights.
Book Review by IQBAL JASSAT
In Pursuit of Dignity by Mohamed Enver Surty. Publisher: Awqaf SA. ISBN 978 0 620 83455 1
‘When we submitted the ANC’s proposal regarding the right to respect for human dignity, we ensured that we added the word ‘inherent’ to ‘dignity’, to clearly indicate the self-worth and self-respect imminent in each human being … Given our painful history, it was self-evident that human dignity was a fundamental value that permeates all rights in the interpretation of rights.’
This powerful quote by Enver Surty, an extract from his book titled In Pursuit of Dignity, is one I’ve selected from among hundreds more equally cogent quotes to illustrate the great worth of its literary and political content.
Though I’m five years late in reviewing it, I’m grateful to finally have the opportunity to delve into the author’s amazing career and lived experiences of an exciting personal journey.
Published in 2019 by Awqaf Foundation of South Africa, Surty acknowledges it as a culmination of recreational writing over several years while flying between Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Persuaded by friends, he consented to have his experience and perspectives on defining periods in his social and political life recorded.
By no means an autobiography, but it certainly comes close to it once you delve into the author’s riveting stories captured in neatly organised themes.
Divided into 24 chapters, the book contains an array of interesting personal details as well as a comprehensive account of his well-rounded political career in the trenches of a hard-fought legal struggle.
Surty gives readers an insightful and colourful account of his early years growing up in a village on the outskirts of Rustenburg. His childhood in his parent’s rented house, though old and dilapidated without ceilings and no electricity or piped water, was home to a nuclear family of nine.
His journey from this rural farmland to the corridors of power, marking the dawn of democracy, is a profound tale of dedication and commitment to human rights.
Surty’s past as an activist attorney in a white-dominated legal fraternity in rural Rustenburg, during the harsh and challenging racist era of apartheid, set the background for his humble rise to political heights.
No surprise that Dikgang Moseneke, former Deputy Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, described Surty’s book as a compelling and thoughtful collection of short stories that imperceptibly flow into a strong tale of a stalwart of ‘our long struggle for freedom’.
‘I admire his role as an activist attorney…’, reads the blurb by Moseneke, who goes on to warmly acknowledge that ‘in time, Enver rose to high political corridors. One of the roles was as Minister of Justice when I served side by side as Deputy Chief Justice’.
In her gracious endorsement of the book, former Minister of Higher Education and Training, Naledi Pandor, under whom Surty served as Deputy Minister, wrote that In Pursuit of Dignity provided an insight into South Africa – today, yesterday and the future.
I wholeheartedly agree with her that being absorbed by it five years later, the book is neither time-bound, nor inconsequential for current and future generations to learn about ‘politics, constitutional law, family and social relations’.
In the foreword President Cyril Ramaphosa refers to Surty’s prominent role during a very challenging but ‘… interesting epoch in our political history’.
Born in 1953, Surty’s incredible zeal and commitment saw him catapulted in 1994 as a Member of Parliament in the Senate and its successor, the National Council of Provinces (NCOP).
The unassuming yet determined plaas boytjie made a huge impact as an integral part of the Constitutional Assembly and the leading role he played as ANC negotiator on the Bill of Rights.
One of the chapters that resonated with me is titled ‘A K MIA’.
Surty generously and graciously recalls that he was Mia’s first candidate attorney in Commissioner Street, Johannesburg.
In his description of Mia, who incidentally is a founding member of Media Review Network, Surty found a ‘… genius at work, wading through volumes of files, Dictaphone in hand, with consummate ease.
‘Most impressive though were his astonishing command of English and his elegant style of writing. He was a teacher before qualifying as a lawyer and was very meticulous in speech and writing. I had learnt from him the art of letter writing, and drafting pleadings and memoranda.’
In his In Pursuit of Dignity, Surty has eloquently honoured many of his circle of friends. His brilliant recollection of the late Rashid Ahmed Patel stands out for he was indeed a social activist whose monumental legacy will continue to inspire generations of youth.
During the launch of his book five years ago, former Basic Education Minister, Mrs Angie Motshekga, applauded her then Deputy Minister, saying that it would add value to the education system as it acknowledges the importance of strengthening quality education at Early Childhood Development (ECD) level.
Motshekga thanked Surty for having been her pillar of strength in improving quality education in the country, and described him as ‘someone with a sharp sense of humour and a strong character who always treats people with respect and humanity’.
Surty’s ceaseless quest for justice and dignity has been beautifully captured in his amazing life as a selfless cadre. I am certain readers of his book will be as deeply touched as I am by his modesty and integrity.
It is appropriate to quote his elegant message to Naledi Pandor, for it applies to him as well:
‘Your legacy will not be forgotten. Your contribution will not be diminished and the many causes you fought for will endure. Palestine will be free, from the river to the sea!’
- Iqbal Jassat is an executive member of the Johannesburg-based Media Review Network
