By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The anti-apartheid activists Benjamin Malesella Moloise and Abraham Zakhele Mngomezulu have been laid to rest, decades after the executions under apartheid-rule.
The two were reburied in Orlando, Soweto on Saturday in a ceremony attended by their family members and government officials.
DoJ&CD Minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi, presided over the solemn and historic handover and reburial ceremony held at the Orlando Communal Hall in Soweto.
Kubayi said the apartheid regime wanted to silence anti-apartheid activists under the delusion that it would last forever.
She said, their blood and sacrifice helped lay the foundation for the democracy South Africans live in today.
“We stand here proudly to say that Comrade Benjamin’s and Comrade Abraham’s lives were not taken in vain,their blood and unbreakable spirit formed part of the spear that dealt the death blow to the apartheid regime. Their contribution to the struggle formed part of the foundation of the democracy that we enjoy today.”
Today’s reburial has been described as a step towards restoring their dignity and giving their loved ones a sense of closure.
The African National Congress (ANC) SG Fikile Mbalula said, MK soldiers stood for what’s right, not those who are “playing with the uniform in Parliament”.
Mbalula has described fallen uMkhonto weSizwe combatants as brave anti-apartheid activists who fought for democracy and equality.
The significant event marks an important milestone in South Africa’s ongoing journey towards healing, justice, and reconciliation.
Kubayi said the terms of reference for the judicial inquiry to probe whether attempts were made to prevent the prosecution of cases emanating from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) have been finalized.
Earlier this week, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that he had established a judicial inquiry that would investigate hindrances encountered in investigating TRC cases.
Between 1960 and 1990, at least 130 individuals were executed on death row for politically motivated offences.
At the time, the state withheld their remains, denying families the opportunity to mourn and bury their loved ones with dignity. These individuals were interred as paupers in cemeteries around Tshwane, without the knowledge or consent of their families.
Moloise, an ANC activist, was convicted in 1983 and executed in 1985 for the 1982 assassination of a security policeman. He denied any involvement, claiming his confession was made under duress. The ANC has consistently maintained his innocence.
Mngomezulu, also an activist of the ANC, was executed on May 25, 1989, after being convicted for the 1987 murder of Mandla Khoza during a rent boycott protest in Soweto. He was sentenced to death, while four teenage co-accused received prison terms ranging from eight to 15 years.