Chinese embassy honours struggle stalwart

Anti-apartheid stalwart Dr Tlou Theophilus "Ranka" Cholo, 98, is the oldest war veteran trained by the Chinese People's Army in 1965 - having been received by that country's first president, Mao Zedong.

- Brian Sokutu

Cholo, was last Friday among South Africans honoured by the Chinese embassy in Pretoria at an event marking the 97th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.

This coincided with the launch of the book, Forging Bonds, memoirs of South African military veterans who trained in China during the struggle against apartheid.

In 1965, Cholo was among liberation movement cadres to be deployed to China along with uMkhonto weSizwe commanders-in-chief Raymond Mhlaba and Wilton Mkwayi.