Minister Lamola and MEC Nkomonye to preside over the handover and Reburial Ceremonies of the exhumed remains of Political Prisoners in Eastern Cape
24 May 2022
The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Mr Ronald Lamola, and Member of Executive Council (MEC) for Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture in the Eastern Cape, Ms Fezeka Nkomonye, will preside over the handover and reburial ceremonies of the exhumed remains of political prisoners in the Eastern Cape on 26 and 27 May 2022.
Minister Lamola will preside over the handover ceremony of Mr Bonakele Ngcogolo and Notimba Bozwana at Qamata The Great Place outside Cofimvaba on 26 May 2022. These two political prisoners were members of Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) Task Force who were charged with sabotage and were both sentenced to death and executed on 11 February 1964.
MEC Nkomonye will preside over the second ceremony which is for the handover and reburial of the human remains of Mr Phineas Mlotywa at Nyanga Village just outside Engcobo on 27 May 2022. Mr Mlotywa was one of the six prisoners who were recruited by PAC while serving prison sentences at Baviaaspoort prison for other offences. He was sentenced to death on 14 April 1965 for condemning and killing a fellow PAC member and cell mate, Mr Mhlokonjo Madellela. It is alleged that Mr Madellela was killed by Mr Mlotywa for reporting on PAC activities to prison warders.
These handover and reburial ceremonies form part of the Gallows Exhumation Project which was launched in 2016. The project seeks to recover the remains of the political prisoners who were hanged on the gallows for politically related offences prior to the suspension of the death penalty in 1990.
The Missing Persons Task Team (MPTT) exhumed and positively verified their remains which are now ready for handover and reburial.
Members of the media are invited as follows:
1st Ceremony - The handover and reburial of the human remains of Comrade Ngcogolo and Comrade Bozwana
Date: 26 May 2022
Time: 10:00 – 13:00
Venue: Qamata The Great Place, Intsika Yethu Local Municipality, Eastern Cape
2nd Ceremony - The handover and the reburial of the human remains of Comrade Mlotywa
Date: 27 May 2022
Time: 10:00 – 13:00
Venue: Nyanga village, Engcobo, Eastern Cape
For media confirmations contact Mr. Solomon Mahlangu on 078 799 9570/ SoMahlangu@justice.gov.za or Mr. Mandla Mathebula on 082 867 9824 ManMathebula@justice.gov.za
Media Enquiries:
Mr Chrispin Phiri
Spokesperson: Ministry of Justice and Correctional Service
081 781 2261
Mediaenquiries@justice.gov.za
