Deserted like hero Tatane’s gravesite
Family hopes new foundation set up in his name will help
Lefu Tatane stands sobbing next to his younger brother’s unkept gravesite.
His tears are for his brother’s legacy, which is fading away six years after his brutal death.
The Tatanes claim that the government has stopped looking after what was “Heroes Acre” in 2013, when the seven police officers charged with his murder were acquitted.
The site is now covered in overgrown grass, with Tatane’s tombstone standing alone.
“We had countless visits from senior officials, including the premier and then police commissioner Bheki Cele.
“After the court case was finalised, people started deserting us,” Lefu said.
Setsoto municipal spokeswoman Moroesi Gaba said it was the family’s responsibility to look after the grave.
“The declaration of sites is done through the provincial heritage resources authority.
“Once the site has been declared, re- sources will be allocated,” Gaba said.
In 2012 the provincial government started building the family a two-bedroom home.
“Getting the house was the biggest turning point for me and my son,” said Tatane’s widow, Rose. “We got to have a very descent place we can call our home. I appreciate it more knowing that it took my husband’s blood to spill for us to have it,” she said.
Lefu is concerned his brother’s legacy was diminishing.
“The community was initially angry but now I sense that they are forgetting him.”
Tatane, a university drop-out, was running several community projects, including giving maths and science classes to failed matriculants at the local library, without being paid.
Retired librarian Veronica Osunde said Tatane even taught traffic officers who had been hired without qualifications. The project has since died.
“They say nobody is indispensable but Tatane is irreplaceable,” said Osunde.
Tatane’s friends and family are now starting the Andries Tatane Foundation “to carry on from where he left off”, said Letlotlo Ranyathole, who heads the project, which will be launched today.