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Compiled by the Government Communication and Information System Date: 29 Sep 2008 Title: Feature: Remains of freedom fighters handed over to their families -------------------- Chanting and songs of freedom, mixed with tears of joy and pain, accompanied the handing over of the remains of 14 activists who were killed in the liberation struggle, to their families. writes Gabi Khumalo. The remains were handed over to the activists' families by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development at a ceremony held on Friday at the Freedom Park heritage site in Pretoria. The event follows the exhumation and identification of the remains by the National Prosecuting Authority's Missing Persons Task Team (MPTT), which is part of the Department's mandate from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) recommendations. The ceremony was attended by representatives from MK veterans, Azanian Peoples organization (AZAPO), Argentine Ambassador Dr Carlos Sersale de Cerisano, representatives from Freedom Park Trust, Department of Justice and Constitutional Development and National Prosecuting Authority. Traditional healers performed rituals whilst religious groups performed a cleansing ceremony, when the coffins arrived. Speaking during a moving ceremony, Jabu Shabangu from AZAPO thanked the NPA for finding and returning the remains of the activists to their families. "NPA please do us justice and bring forward the perpetrators and the guns which killed our comrades for the future generations to know what happened," said an emotional Mr Shabangu. The deceased include nine of the Mamelodi 10; Jeremiah Ntuli, Morris Nkabinde, Jeremiah Magagula, Steven Makena, Rooibaard Geldenhuys, Samuel Masilela, Thomas Phiri, Elliot Sathege and Phillip Sibanyoni. They were abducted and killed on 26 June 1986 in a planned joint operation by the Northern Transvaal Security Police and the South African Defence Force's Special Forces. The victims were persuaded by Joe Mamasela posing as an uMkonto we Sizwe (MK) operative to leave the country for military training. However, they were taken to an area near Nietverdient where they were injected with chemicals to make them sleep and then placed in a taxi, which was set alight. They were later buried as paupers at the Winterveld cemetery. MK operative Duncan Molehe, of the Nietverdient four, was shot dead by members of the Western Transvaal Security Police on 26 June 1986 near Nietverdiend, shortly after the group had crossed into South Africa from Botswana. The victims were driven in a vehicle whose driver was allegedly a Security Police informer who stopped the vehicle at a pre-arranged site. They all suffered multiple bullet wounds. The driver escaped and the four deceased were also buried as paupers in an unmarked area of an old cemetery in the village of Hartbeesfontein, now called Lethabong. Archaeological excavations by the MPTT located the remains and DNA tests are underway. The two MK operatives - the Mmabatho two, Petrus Ramodiehe Waisi and David Takalani Nembaye were killed on 3 January 1986 after their presence in Mmabatho was detected by the Bophuthatswana Security Police. The two deceased were buried in separate coffins but in a single grave on top of each other in Mmabatho cemetery. Their bodies were exhumed on 2 October 2007. The Azanian National Liberation Army cadres from Zeerust two, Petrus Phaswane Masango and Petrus Mkobi were shot dead on 14 September 1981 after entering South Africa from Botswana. Their remains were traced to Ikageleng cemetery in Zeerust and exhumed on 3 October 2007. Thanking the NPA's MPTT for ensuring the return of the bodies, Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veteran Association Chairperson Kebby Maphatsoe said the organization has been waiting patiently for the government to assist them. "Today we are free because of these comrades, they are our history and heritage," said Mr Maphatsoe also calling for a policy on reburial and exhumation of the bodies of freedom fighters to get a state burial. Handing over the remains to the families, Head of TRC Unit in the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, Dr Mochubela Seekoe said the department, NPA and Freedom Park work in collaboration to help the country in identifying some of the remains. He noted that there is a still long way to go as about 500 people were reported to the TRC as missing. "One of the problems we have is that people who committed the crimes don't tell us where they buried the bodies and it's up to us to find those bodies, which is takes too long. "These remains were found in 2005 but only handed over to the families today," Mr Seekoe said. The MPTT reported that as at July 2008, 50 remains have been exhumed with 18 being returned to the respective families for reburial. Other cases are still undergoing final identification through the DNA testing and other forensic processes, he said. Speaking to BuaNews, mother of deceased Jeremia Ntuli, Maria Ntuli said she was happy to finally get a chance to bury her son in a dignified way. "I have been wondering for many years where my son's body was buried, as from today I will be able to sleep peacefully knowing that he has been united with his ancestors," a tearful Ms Ntuli told BuaNews. Brother of deceased Petros Mkobi, Johannes Mkobi told BuaNews that it still hurt him thinking about the pain suffered by his brother when he was brutally murdered. "It is very painful but I am relieved that his remains are back with us and will now be able to give him a proper burial, attended by his family and people who loved him," Mr Mkobi said. - BuaNews |
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