The High Commissioner of the Republic of South Africa His Excellency Mr Mdu Lembede and North West Premier, Honourable Supra Mahumapelo invite members of the media to cover a memorial lecture that will be delivered by Premier Mahumapelo in honour of the late stalwart ZK Mathews at Moeding College in Otse, Botswana on the 25 of September 2015.
Journalists are also invited to cover the Commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of the 1985 Gaborone Massacre on the 26h of September 2015. High profile delegates, including government ministers from Botswana and South Africa, are expected to attend the two events.
The move to honour Professor ZK Mathews and commemorate the Gaborone Massacre emanates from Premier Mahumapelo’s State of the Province Address on the 6th of March 2015, in which he directed that various activities and programmes be initiated to honour cadres who passed through the North West Province on their way to and from exile.
Subsequently, the Liberation Heritage Route Project was launched at Lobatla Village on the 26th of April 2015, with a view to document the history of the struggle launched through the North West Province, and honour heroes and heroines who used this route to cross into Botswana on their way to other parts of the world, as they resisted apartheid.
The 1985 Gaborone Massacre took place on the 14th of June 1985 when members of the then South African Defence Force crossed into Botswana and attacked South Africans and Batswana in Gaborone and neighbouring villages.
Twelve people died during the raid.
Members of the media are cordially invited to cover the events.
The Memorial lecture is scheduled as follows:
Date: 25 September 2015
Venue: Moeding College, Otse
Time: 14h00
The Commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of the 1985 Gaborone Massacre is scheduled as follows:
Date: 26 September 2015
Venue: Gaborone
Time: 8h00
For enquiries, contact:
Mr Brian Setswambung
Acting Provincial Head of Communication
Office of the Premier
North West Provincial Government
Cell: 084 702 3775 / 076 012 4501
E-mail: bsetswambung@nwpg.gov.za
Mr J. Tladi
South African High Commission
Gaborone, Botswana
Cell: +27 - 71397083
Email: tladij@dirco.gov.za
Dr. Gilbert Motsaathebe
Media Relations Directorate Office of the Premier North West Provincial Govt
Tel: 018 388 2872
Cell: : 083 793 3376
Fax: 086 236 4120
