‘Fetch their souls and take them home to rest’
A grandson of one of the 12 political prisoners who died in custody and were secretly buried in a whites-only cemetery at the time said his family was at peace following the unveiling of the memorial site where his grandfather was buried.
Robben Island Museum (RIM) unveiled the “12 Disciples of Justice” at the Stikland cemetery on Tuesday, which included plaques with information about prisoners Mlungisi Mqalu, John Poni, Reuben Maliwa, Sipho Khalipha, Frank Mani, Matinise Batyi, Solomon Makisi, Charlie Mkhele, Lameki Kula, Jimmy Simon, Zincwasile Mvalwana and Mountain Langben – who all died between 1963 and 1968.
Between 2010 and 2012 the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Missing Persons Task Team conducted a series of forensic excavation tests at the cemetery.
There were no positive results from the excavation tests due to the manner in which the 12 political prisoners were buried, but there were no correlations between the cemetery records and what was found on the ground, and no cemetery map which outlined grave numbers.
RIM’s memorial at the cemetery now unveils more background information about the site and the 12 political prisoners who died in custody.
Mvalwana, the spokesperson for all the families and paternal grandson of Zincwasile who died in 1964, said he had always searched for his grandfather knowing that he died in custody but could not have peace as they were unaware of where he was buried.
“I realised what had happened to my grandfather when it came to me in a dream.
“At the time I thought it would be easy that I can just go to Robben Island and find his burial site on the island, but they said he was not buried on the island.
“The government assisted us for the exhuming of this site at that time where a number of bodies were found buried on top of one another.
“It has been an emotional process for all families involved but we are at peace knowing that we could have funeral ceremonies for our loved ones back at home in the Eastern Cape.
“We may not have had their bodies, but we comforted in the fact that we could, through a traditional process, fetch their souls and take them home to their resting place,” said Mvalwana.
Eastern Cape South African Heritage Resources Agency chairperson Dumisani Sibayi committed that buildings in the province would be renamed after the fallen heroes.
Mpho Masemola of the Ex-Political Prisoners Association (EPPA) said: “We acknowledge this day that it has come to honour those who died in prison. It is sad to know that somebody was sent to prison and they died there … They could not reach home and they could never speak about being free. These prisoners were buried as paupers.
“As the EPPA, we have raised the clarion call for these prisoners to be recognised for their fight during the Struggle,” said Masemola.
Cape Times