The remains of 10 of the Pan Africanist Congress's armed wing Poqo who were hanged from 1963 to 1967, will be exhumed on Thursday.
The National Prosecution Authority said the exhumations form part of the Gallows Exhumation Project launched by Justice minister Michael Masutha in 2016 which is aimed at recovering the remains of 130 political prisoners.
They were hanged prior to the suspension of the death penalty in 1990.
The bodies of the hanged political prisoners remained the property of the state and they were given paupers' burials in municipal cemeteries around Pretoria with families being denied the opportunity to bury them.
"At least 60 PAC members were hanged in the 1960s. The 10 PAC members to be exhumed this week arise out of the period of intense political protest in Paarl in 1962 when members of the PAC (Poqo) based in the single men's migrant worker hostels in Mbekweni township undertook a series of campaigns and attacks on suspected informers and white residents," the NPA said.
"The period of protest culminated in a mass night time march on the white town of Paarl in November 1962 in which 2 whites were killed.
"In all, 9 persons were killed by the PAC protestors that year and 5 PAC protestors were shot dead by police. Mass arrests and trials ensued in the years that followed, and 20 PAC members were ultimately hanged for the events in Paarl. Scores of others were sentenced to terms of imprisonment."
The NPA said the remains will be exhumed from Mamelodi West cemetery where they were buried in paupers' graves on the same day that they were hanged.
The other 10 PAC members hanged for the events in Paarl will be exhumed in the coming months.
The process will be led by the TRC Unit in the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development together with the Missing Persons Task Team (MPTT) in the NPA.
The 10 PAC members whose remains will be exhumed this week are as follows:
1. Vezile Jaxa (26) hanged on November 1, 1963
2. Lennox Mngambi Madikane (25) hanged on November 1, 1963
3. Mxolisi Damane (26) hanged on November 1, 1963
The above 3 were the first people to be hanged for the crime of sabotage, for their leadership role in the November 1962 march, rather than any involvement in any deaths.
4. Gadavu Johannes Notyawe (40) hanged on October 14, 1963. He was hanged for the killing of 2 suspected informers, Klaas Hoza and George Tshisa.
5. Gqibile Nicholas Hans (26) hanged on May, 30 1967
6. Baden Koboka (32) hanged on May 30, 1967
7. Jabavu Jonas Mzondi (34) hanged on May 30, 1967
8. Livingstone Fatyela (30) hanged on May 30, 1967
9. Bongezile Edward Sikundla (32) hanged on May 30, 1967
10. Msimasi Wellington Tyobeka (29) hanged on May, 30 1967
These 6 were among 9 persons hanged for the killing of shopkeeper Maurice Berger.
Source: enca.com, August 30, 2017
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