The remains of two African National Congress ‘s military army ,Umkhonto We Sizwe (MK) cadres are to be exhumed for reburial in Mahikeng in the North West Province on Friday.
The two formed part of a unit that crossed into South Africa from Botswana in 1978 and were killed after a skirmish with apartheid security forces.
Forensic experts had conducted DNA tests to determine the identities of the two as their remains were fragmented in an explosion. Their skeletal remains had mingled as they were squeezed into a single coffin when they were secretly buried there.
Locating the actual grave in which they were buried was not easy as no records of their burial were kept.
North West Premier Mme Thandi Modise who is to be part of the exhumation which is part of the programme for Mandela Month says that the reburial of the cadres will allow their families to put closure to decades of anxiety and reconcile with a painful past.
“As we celebrate the legacy of selfless service of former ANC President and Commander in Chief of Umkhonto We Sizwe, we owe it to the memories of fallen heroes and heroine of our liberation struggle to recognise the sacrifices and heroic deeds of those who paid the supreme price contributing towards attainment of our freedom and democracy. Their blood nourished the tree of liberty,” said Modise herself a former MK commander and political commissar.
The Premier had in launching the programme for Mandela Month said that activities for this year will include unveiling of tomb stones of former freedom fighters, cleaning of graves, beautification of schools and old age homes, flying the South African flag in schools, holding, developmental workshops for emerging artists, handing out of blankets, assisting in maintaining back yard food gardens, donation of books to communities and immunisation programme.
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Lesiba Moses Kgwele
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Slain MK cadres to be exumed for reburial
Province
