Rev. Sipo Elijah Mzimela Passes Away
Decatur Metro | February 5, 2013
The Episcopal News Service is reporting that Reverand Sipo Elijah Mzimela “a leader in the struggle to end apartheid and a cabinet minister of former South African President Nelson Mandela, died Feb. 2 from complications of pneumonia.” More recently, Rev. Mzimela was the owner and operated the African Arts store, Pambili, in the Artisan building in Downtown Decatur until it closed in 2010.
According to the Episcopal News Service, “the funeral will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 9, at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, Atlanta. Bishop of Atlanta Robert Wright will preside.”
Read more about Reverand Mzimela’s extraordinary life over on the ENS website. (The AJC once had a great interview with Rev. Mzimela on its website at one point years ago, but it looks like it’s no longer available unfortunately).
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RIP, Rev. Mzimela. You really made your life count.
Thanks Cubalibre. A man dies, a man who was involved in one of the most important events of the later twentieth century, as well as a businessman in our town, and you and I are the only ones who honor his existence with a post. Something is wrong.
God Speed Ejijah! May you rest in peace. The race is won.
Actually, I think that a lack of posts on this blog is a sign of respect. So many posts are about puns, snark, sarcasm, wisecracks. People hold off when they recognize that it would be inappropriate. Luckily, we are not like AJC and other blogs where folks will grind their ax even if it is totally disrepectful to the individuals and family involved.
In addition, I suspect that many readers were not aware of Rev. Mzimela. Once again, DM is not just about venting or announcing, but also educational. I wish I’d known more about the back story for Pambili while it was still open.
There were actually a couple of posts about Rev. Sipo’s history while Pambili was still open. The AJC interview referenced in the original post was one.
Indeed, my google search found one. It was before I had discovered Decatur Metro. Educational from the beginning! I didn’t “get” the first generation of blogs and start reading them regularly until there were some CSD-related blogs put up temporarily and the ever-entertaining “Decatur Blur”.
“Once again, DM is not just about venting or announcing, but also educational. I wish I’d known more about the back story for Pambili while it was still open.”
+1