VICTIMS and families of the Langa massacre boycotted the commemoration ceremony.
Empty promises were cited as the reason for the families' despair, which prompted them to walk out of the event that took place on Human Rights Day.
The 39th anniversary of the Uitenhage massacre was commemorated on Thursday, 21 March at Jabavu Stadium in Kariega, Eastern Cape.
The massacre occurred on 21 March 1985 when 35 people were shot dead and 27 others wounded when police opened fire on a crowd of funeral-goers in the Kariega kasi of Langa on the anniversary of the Sharpeville shootings.
Nicholas Malgas, chairman of the Uitenhage Massacre Foundation, said: "Members of the foundation are not happy because the government continues to neglect them. Even when the government organises commemorations, they don't benefit even though money is allocated to host the events.
"When these programmes are over, people leave, and the victims are left with nothing but poverty. Even the foundation can't save the situation because we know the government is responsible for compensating all the victims of the massacre, not just us."
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Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane said: "The victims and the families of the Langa massacres expect support from the government. The first benefit we have that shows these people have not paid this ultimate price in vain is that the country is liberated. Yes, there may be certain families with special needs, and we're taking care of them. We know there are problems with housing and education. We take many children of the victims to school because the've lost their parents, and we take responsibility as government.
"We're starting to work with them properly as there were gaps in how we've been working with them. Next year is the 40th anniversary, and we can't get there still having victims without houses."
This year’s commemoration took place when the country is commemorating Human Rights Month under the theme "Three Decades of Respect for and Promotion of Human Rights", paying tribute to the 30th anniversary of freedom and democracy.
