FOR DECADES, their bodies lay in a mass grave in a strange place – but the end of the journey is in sight.
The families stood silently watching as one by one, the bones came out of the ground.
Finally, the spirits of the buried men are going home.
“The relatives have been to this area to look at the graves but to see the remains is a very emotional and touching moment,” said Sandla Goqwana, spokesman for the families, and Eastern Cape PAC secretary.
Yesterday, the families of 12 activists hanged during apartheid relived the pain as the remains of their loved ones were exhumed in an emotional ceremony in Mamelodi, Tshwane.
Before their remains could be dug out, a traditional ritual was performed by family members and then anthropologists from the National Prosecuting Authority carefully pulled out the bones from the graves at the Rebecca Cemetery in Pretoria West.
The activists, all from Mphuthi Village, Mthatha, Eastern Cape, were members of the Pan Africanist Congress who were arrested and hanged for the murder of five farmers killed during a revolt in the apartheid years.
“The relatives have long accepted how the men died, but to actually see their bones brings back the pain,” Goqwana said.
Goqwana added the families are also relieved to be able to finally give their loved ones a decent burial. He said to have people buried in a place they have no control over is a problem.
“That’s why most of them said they will bury their relatives in family graveyards and not in Heroes Acre.
“The families believe having the remains re-buried will bring peace to them. They believe the spirits of their loved ones were never at peace, which resulted in some of their relatives experiencing difficulties in life. They believe after this they will also have peace and their problems will go away,” said Goqwana.
The 12 were all buried in a mass grave in four sets with three bodies on top of each other.
The men, five of whom were members of the Vulindlela family, were hanged on July 3 1964. The youngest of the group was Mbhekaphamsi Vulindlela, who was 18.
Other members of the Vulindlela family who were hanged were Shelengu (28), Sadungei (30), Bhonasei (46) and Maliza (30).
Other in the group were Mili Poli (43), Mtalata Xhengo (22), Bawokazi Mangqikazana (30), Siwana Mlahleki (30), Bennet Mpetu (20) and Light Mangqikana (53).
Their remains will be handed over to their families for burial in their village in the Eastern Cape.
One of the activists who was not hanged, Phumelele Gaxa, told the families at the ceremony how he is still haunted to this day. He spoke of the horror he went through as he saw his comrades being taken to the gallows.
Justice Minister Michael Masutha, who officiated at the ceremony, acknowledged the role played by liberation movement like the PAC in the struggle.
He said occasions like these should be used to unite people from all organisations and political parties.
Addressing the family, Masutha said: “We hope the recovery of the remains will go a long way towards bringing much needed relief from decades of pain.”
