Peter-Paul Colors
South Africa Forward
First time
I met Sibusiso Peter-Paul Ngwenya he was sitting in the dining salon on
one of those dinner cruises. I noticed a well-dressed, clean gentleman,
slight of frame, sitting at a corner table all by himself.
I must say, I could not remember the last
time I saw a black person at an air cargo event, let alone at a management
level meeting or an industry party.
My instinct to engage goes rather hand in
hand with my desire to cut to the chase—a desire that has both expanded
my horizons and perhaps at times put me in a pickle. Fortunately, that
night was an adventure in the former.
I walked right up to the gentleman and said:
“We don’t see too many people
of color at air cargo events.”
His face broke into a broad grin, all smiling
eyes, as he looked at me and said:
“I almost didn’t make it here
. . . you know I am still on the TSA terrorist list?”
“You know,” said his friend
and host on the boat ride, Jo Frigger, CEO of EMO Trans, “you’re
speaking to Sibusiso Peter-Paul Ngwenya, who spent plenty of time disturbing
the peace, blowing up rail lines, and otherwise caused all manner of disruption
in South Africa during Apartheid.”
“I wasn’t easy,” said
Peter-Paul.
“I spent seven years of a fifteen
year sentence in jail with Nelson Mandela and was not released from Robben
Island until 1991.”
Peter-Paul gave up part of his life to help
millions and secure the freedom for what is now the new South Africa.
Today in 2014, Peter Paul’s selfless
patriotism to South Africa has developed into several business ventures,
including Engen, South African Breweries, and the investment company Makana
Trust, where he is a founding trustee and former chairman.
He later co-founded Makana Investment Corporation,
of which he is the current executive chairman.
Peter-Paul is the treasurer of the Ex-Political
Prisoners Committee.
He is also the chairman of South African
Airlink, radio stations Heart 104.9 and Igagasi 99.5, and Sebenza Forwarding
and Shipping Consultancy.
But given a few moments earlier this year
at EMO Trans annual meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Peter Paul reflected
upon his years with Nelson Mandela in prison on Robben Island, and now
the new world, post apartheid where he lives and leads his countrymen.
Please view video above or click here.
His vision, while rooted firmly in the struggle,
is hopeful and above all, is always persistent.
“You know after a while both the guards
at Robben Island and the internees realized that we were all in prison.
“After that everyone just got along
better,” Peter-Paul said.
(Geoffrey) |
