Tribute by the Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, the Hon JH Jeffery, MP, at the spiritual repatriation, cleansing and symbolic burial ceremony of Mr Bellington Mampe, held at the Worcester Correctional Centre, Worcester, Western Cape
Programme Director,
The family and relatives of Bellington Mampe,
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Adv Nicolette Bell,
The Head of the Missing Persons Task Team, Dr Madeleine Fullard,
Guests and friends,
As we gather here today, we experience a whole range of different emotions – it is a traumatic process in reopening old wounds and painful memories from the past but, at the same time, we find peace in knowing that today the family and everyone who knew and loved Bellington Mampe can finally find some closure.
We are also proud and humbled by the contribution he made to our struggle for liberation as we pay tribute to this gallant fighter for freedom and democracy.
As we gather here today, we are reminded of the adversity that we had to face during the struggle for political freedom.
But we are also able to stop and reflect on the progress we have made as a democratic country.
As we gather here today, we recommit ourselves to building our democracy, to fighting injustice whenever and wherever we see it and to continue our commitment to building the type of society that our struggle heroes would have wanted us to build.
Today, we think of the words of Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe when he said -
“We meet here today, to rededicate ourselves to the cause of Africa, to establish contact beyond the grave, with the great African heroes and assure them that their struggle was not in vain.”
To the family of Bellington Mampe, his struggle was not in vain.
He paid the ultimate price for our freedom and he too is one of the great African heroes that Sobukwe speaks of.
Bellington Mampe was born in the town of Mount Frere in the Eastern Cape and came to Cape Town during the height of apartheid. We know that he resided in Gugulethu with relatives including a brother who later went into political exile.
On his arrival in Cape Town, he soon became politically active. He joined the Pan Africanist Congress and became a member of POQO. With the PAC being a banned organisation, he quickly became a target of the apartheid security forces.
In 1963 he was arrested by the South African Police Force and was detained at Worcester prison.
According to records, he was interrogated for 140 days before being transferred to the hospital section of the prison. It was at the hospital section of the prison where he later passed away. He was 30 years of age at the time of his arrest and detention.
Mr Mampe was buried at the now Zwelethemba cemetery here in Worcester by distantly related family friends.
His arrest, detention, and subsequent death whilst in detention was investigated by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 1997, but unfortunately, the exact circumstances surrounding his detention and death were never clarified and was subsequently referred to the National Prosecuting Authority for further investigation.
The NPA and the Hawks with the renewed commitment to ensure justice for the victims of apartheid atrocities further investigated the circumstances of his passing. The Hawks in the Western Cape opened an inquiry into his death in January 2022 and the investigations were guided by the advocates of the TRC Unit of the NPA.
The investigations revealed that all the records of his detention and hospitalization were destroyed. In addition, no records could be found confirming whether or not his death was referred for either an informal or formal inquest.
Part of the investigation also sought to discover where Bellington had been buried.
The cemetery in Worcester was visited with the Missing Persons Task Team and the Local Criminal Records Centre, but despite a diligent search his grave could not be located.
As we are here today for the symbolic laying to rest of Bellington Mampe, we proudly say that his legacy and sacrifice for our democracy must be celebrated and properly remembered. He paid the ultimate price so that we can live in a free and democratic country.
As Solomon Mahlangu declared in the face of the apartheid gallows, indeed Bellington Mampe’s blood has nourished the tree that has given birth to the fruits of our freedom.
To the family, please know that we are proud to be able to participate in this process of healing and reconciliation through the symbolic laying to rest.
Also allow me to express my gratitude to the family for allowing us to convene in this manner as we honour Bellington and his life.
I also want to express my profound gratitude to the TRC Unit and the Missing Persons Task Team and all those who have been involved in various capacities to bring closure to the family and in making today possible. The Missing Persons Task Team and the TRC Unit have successfully exhumed, handed over the remains and attended to the reburial of more than 180 comrades and Bellington’s spiritual repatriation is the 11th spiritual repatriation that has taken place.
As we honour the life and the contribution of Bellington Mampe, let us remember our own humanity.
Let us remember that “I am because we are”, my humanity is tied to yours and your humanity is tied to mine.
As Robert Sobukwe said –
“Here is a tree rooted in African soil, nourished with waters from the rivers of Africa.
Come and sit under its shade and become, with us, the leaves of the same branch and the branches of the same tree.”
May the soul of Bellington Mampe rest in eternal peace.
